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TikTok logo: Well busy with compliance investigations
Photo: Dado Ruvic / REUTERS
When Gunnar Bender started his new job in August 2020, a difficult task awaited him.
The former Amazon and Facebook manager was supposed to polish up the battered image of a new, even more controversial digital company - as the German chief lobbyist of the Chinese video platform TikTok.
A year and a half later, Bender apparently has to take a break.
According to unconfirmed information, the manager was released internally last summer, shortly after SPIEGEL published details about the TikTok man's lobbying work.
Among other things, Bender had met the CDU member of the Bundestag Philipp Amthor and arranged for a payment of 2500 euros for a music festival in his constituency.
An initially planned support for the Junge Union, in which Amthor acts as treasurer, ultimately did not materialize after concerns among the workforce.
Bender himself wrote in an internal email: "We don't want to make hidden party advertising a criminal offense."
Lobbyist not available
It is currently not clear whether there was actually a formal leave of absence from TikTok. Bender did not respond to questions about his employment, the platform itself continues to call him "Director of Public Policy at TikTok Germany". The team "continues to work as usual". Internally, the company became clearer: In a so-called town hall meeting, Germany boss Tobias Henning is said to have expressly confirmed the exemption of the chief lobbyist. Bender has not been available to his team for months, and an employee app lists his profile as "on leave".
In fact, the incidents related to the Philipp Amthor donation gave rise to an internal investigation last summer, in which Bender could not legally prove any wrongdoing.
The test was "carried out by an independent third party and, following their analysis, we are convinced that there was no unlawful behavior," said TikTok.
Regardless of this, Bender could now face a second investigation, carried out by the international compliance department and with the support of several law firms.
It is currently not clear whether it also deals with further allegations.
Investigations against Gen Z experts
In fact, TikTok seems to be well preoccupied with internal investigations. There were also apparently several compliance investigations against 19-year-old social media expert Charles Bahr, who left the company in November after around one and a half years. Among other things, TikTok accused the young employee of fraudulent expenses and the internal disclosure of confidential documents and also hired a former employee of the American Department of Defense to investigate the events.
Bahr, who received an immediate dismissal in November, is now arguing in court with his former employer.
He did not want to speak to SPIEGEL.
First, the industry magazine »Horizont« reported on the dismissal protection suit.
After an initial negotiation meeting, the parties are currently discussing a settlement proposal.
When asked, TikTok only made a general statement: »Basically, it is important to us that we proceed properly with all employees.
TikTok cannot comment on individual employees or allegations that may or may not have been made. "
