TikTok has engaged with NCC Group to independently oversee, check, and verify our data controls and protections, monitor data flows, provide independent verification and report any anomalies.
TikTok's European user data is stored by default in a dedicated European data enclave, hosted across data centres in Norway, Ireland, and the US.
Strict access controls enforced by security gateways ensure that employees in China have no access to restricted data, such as phone numbers or IP addresses, stored in our European enclave.
Advanced privacy-enhancing technologies de-identify certain data, that needs to flow globally to operate a global platform, further protecting data.
Project Clover Milestones
August 2021
European data governance strategy: TikTok sets out a clear, long-term data governance strategy fro Europe based on the principles of storing data locally; minimising data transfers outside of the region; and further reducing employee access to TikTok user data.
April 2022
European data centre: TikTok announces the signing of a contract with a third party provider for the construction of its firest European data centre, in Dublin, to house UK & EEA TikTok user data.
Winter 2022
Clover team forms: Building on the foundations of its European data governance strategy, an internal team at TikTok forms to commerce work on Project Clover.
March 2023
Project Clover: TikTok announces details of Project Clover, a programme to build an enhance protective environment for its European user data, including new security gateways, independent third-party oversight and privacy-enhancing technologies.
March 2023
European data centres: TikTok announces details of further European data centre sites in Norway and Ireland. Once operational, these European data centres will become the defaults storage location for TikTok's UK and EEA data.
September 2023
Irish data centre online: TikTok's first European data centre comes online in Dublin and migration of European user data to the centre begins.
September 2023
Third-party security provider: TikTok announces that globally respected cybersecurity firm NCC group will be the independent security provider for Project Clover. NCC Group will audit TikTok's data controls and protections, monitor data flows, provide independent verification, and report any incidents.
November 2023
€12 billion investments: TikTok announces that it intends to invest €12 billion over 10 years in Project Clover architecture.
July 2024
Security testing: NCC Group completes initial security and vulnerability testing of Project Clover architecture.
October 2024
Norway data centre online: TikTok's second European data centre comes online in Norway and data migration to the centre begins.
October 2024
NCC Group continuous monitoring: NCC Groupd commences continuous monitoring of the security gateways around TikTok's European user data.
January 2025
TikTok extends partnership with NCC Group for three years to strenghen independent security oversifht as part of Project Clover, enhancing data protection for European users.