TikTok’s troubles in South-east Asia a test for its e-commerce future
Its blend of e-commerce and social media has signs of promise but Indonesia has banned e-commerce over social media platforms
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Benjamin Cher
TIKTOK’S e-commerce dreams in South-east Asia have been jolted as governments find fault with the social media platform, with potential implications for the region’s e-commerce hopefuls.
Malaysia has complained about defamatory and misleading content on TikTok, Indonesia about its impact on small businesses, and Vietnam about “toxic” content.
Of these grouses, the most troublesome is likely to be Indonesia’s. The country recently decided to ban e-commerce over social media platforms.
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