TikTok Announces Launch of Hashtag Content Filters and New Safety Tools

[MacRumors]

TikTok has announced new content moderation tools for the short-form video platform to make it safer for children, along with new hashtag filters for its For You and Following feeds.

The first version of its new system to restrict certain types of content from being viewed by teens is called "Content Levels," which is due to launch in the next few weeks.

While adult content is banned on the platform, TikTok says some content in the app may contain "mature or complex themes that may reflect personal experiences or real-world events that are intended for older audiences." Content Levels is designed to classify such content and assign to it a maturity score, which will keep it from being seen by users aged between 13 and 17.

Initially, TikTok says Trust and Safety managers will assign the scores to increasingly popular videos or those reported by users in the app, and the system will be expanded over time to offer filtering options for the entire community, not just teens. In its finished version, the system will ultimately allow creators to classify their content, similar to the way movies, TV shows, and video games use age ratings.

In addition to Content Levels, TikTok will soon launch hashtag filters that provide users with a new level of control over what appears in the For You and Following pages. Users will be able to designate specific words or hashtags they don't want to see in their feeds, and the app will automatically filter them out.

The feature is intended to go beyond merely filtering out mature or problematic content, and could also be used to stop TikTok's algorithm surfacing topics that users are sick of seeing or that they just don't care about. TikTok's example is using it to block dairy or meat recipes if you're going vegan, or to stop seeing DIY tutorials after a home project is completed.

The new content moderation features follow a 2021 Congressional inquiry into social apps like TikTok regarding how their algorithmic recommendations could be promoting harmful eating disorder eating content to younger users. More recently, TikTok was also sued by parents whose children died after attempting dangerous challenges allegedly seen on the platform.

Article Link: TikTok Announces Launch of Hashtag Content Filters and New Safety Tools

 

[Apple_Robert]

TikTok and safety measures is an oxymoron.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Where is the button for teens called "Delete Tik Tok from face of Earth"?

 

[JM]

Based on what things I see make it’s way from TikTok, their gauge on what is “adult content” is inaccurate, and I don’t think their idea of what is appropriate for teens is very good 🙄

 

[MBHockey]

why are people still using this chinese spyware?

 

[theob05]

It's easier, just delete tik tok and save the child.

 

[theob05]

why are people still using this chinese spyware?

Because with this spyware, the chinese already know more about you than you and know how to lure you more and more.

 

[Archmage]

Hashtag filtering sounds useless. Creators tag their videos with every hashtag under the sun, relevance be damned.

 

[FloatingBones]

New hashtag content filter and safety tool:
#dontuseTikTok

 

[DBZmusicboy01]

too much regulations ruins everything
Not good for the general peeps.

 

[sw1tcher]

Where is the button for teens called "Delete Tik Tok from face of Earth"?

Where is the button for no one is forcing you to use TikTok?

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Where is the button for no one is forcing you to use TikTok?

I'm talking about teens. Contributes to depression.

 

[kaycrystal626]

Best social App ever!

 

[residentgalah]

If nothing else, it’s novel to have the option of being spied on by China instead of by Americans for a change, surely.

If I had kids I wouldn’t let them use TikTok (and would assume they’d take that as seriously as I would have taken my parents telling me not to do something - not very.) My wife, however, is currently a big fan.

 

[temende]

The safest way to use TikTok is to not install chinese spyware on your phone.

 

[rp100]

weird, my iPhone already has a feature which handles this “problem”:

 

[IIGS User]

I’m an older fellow but I try and educate the kids a bit.

They’re all to busy with the ticking and the tocking and the bipping and the bopping so they don’t know what the JAZZ is ALL ABOUT!

See, jazz is like air power.

No, jazz is more like the new Coke.

Lol

 

[d5aqoëp]

Please ban this app.

 

[Rocko99991]

This app needs to burn in hell.

 

[markfc]

All social media apps should be 18+ and age verified.

 

[JippaLippa]

All social media apps should be 18+ and age verified.

That's actually not a bad idea.

I don't like giving my info to an app, however social media comes with lots of responsibilities and I don't think kids and teens should be exposed to it while developing their brain.

Similar thing with light drugs; I'm not a prude and I don't judge some responbile use to wind down, however I'd strongly discourage indulging when your brain is still developing.

REALISTICALLY though, life goes faster and faster each year, therefore a compromise would be restricting access to socials to 16 years of age.

 

[flofixer]

Their logo annoys my eyes. Feels like I should be wearing 3-D glasses.

 

[sideshowuniqueuser]

why are people still using this chinese spyware?

Yeah, I have no idea why my teenage son would let China spy on him and steal all our military secrets

 

[kskkr]

Yeah, I have no idea why my teenage son would let China spy on him and steal all our military secrets

It's never a good idea to have a hostile state's surveillance app running in your daily driver, especially minors who are less aware of global politics and the potential threats of using them.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

I deleted TikTok for no other reason than it’s literally the most addictive app I’ve ever used. Had to cut it out.