Amid mounting political pressure, TikTok, the short-form video app, is revising its community guidelines that govern how content is treated on the platform. The new features include more detailed rules about which posts are allowed to appear in the for-you feed, where the clips are selected individually for software users. The new guidelines go into effect on April 21.
Clips containing false information about climate change that contradict scientific findings are not allowed. Videos with characters or objects generated by software must now be clearly identified. It is expressly forbidden to imitate private individuals with computer representations.
Harder pace against “Challenges”
TikTok is also introducing more precise definitions for different types of physical damage in extreme sports or challenge videos. This should provide more clarity when making decisions about individual videos. Clips with actions that could lead to serious injury or death are generally removed. However, for less hazardous activities, the current policy only generally states that if there is a risk of bodily harm, they “might not be allowed” for the feed for you.
The new version now excludes activities that “could result in moderate physical harm”. As such, TikTok now defines “minor cuts with minimal blood loss and minor bruising.” In the US in particular, TikTok has been accused of failing to adequately protect young people from dangerous challenges. That should also be the issue when company chief Shou Zi Chew has to answer questions from members of the US Congress on Thursday.
On suspicion of espionage
With more than a billion users, TikTok is the only major online platform that is also successful in the West and does not come from the US. The service is under increasing pressure because it belongs to the Chinese Bytedance group. Concerns have been raised in the US and Europe that Chinese authorities and intelligence services could collect or influence data about users via TikTok.
TikTok dismisses the suspicions and emphasizes that it does not see itself as a subsidiary of a Chinese company, as Bytedance is 60 percent owned by Western investors and is headquartered in the Cayman Islands. Critics object that the Chinese founders had 20 percent of the control thanks to higher voting rights and that Bytedance has a large headquarters in Beijing.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
