TikTok is updating its community guidelines and rolling out new features that the company says will support the well-being of its users. Some of the changes are aimed at cracking down on content for which the company has come under fire in the past, including videos that critics say glorify eating disorders and dangerous viral challenges.
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The company announced today that it will begin removing videos that promote dieting habits, such as intermittent fasting and excessive exercise. Content that promotes eating disorders is already banned on the platform, but news reports have repeatedly shown that users are being exposed to videos that depict unhealthy eating habits. During a congressional hearing in October, senators pressed TikTok representatives to further protect young users.
"We are making this change in consultation with experts, researchers and medical professionals on eating disorders, as we understand that people can experience unhealthy eating patterns and behaviors without having a diagnosed eating disorder," the company said in today's announcement.
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The policy changes also add a ban on hateful ideologies, explicitly banning name-calling, racial slurs, and misogyny, as well as content that promotes gender reassignment therapy.
TikTok critics have also pointed out dangerous challenges and pranks circulating on the platform. In addition to adding more detail to its online challenges policy, TikTok says it will release a series of creator-led videos to help viewers evaluate the content they encounter. The videos will appear in the #SaferTogether hub on the Discover page , the company said.
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Over 91 million videos, representing about 1 percent of videos uploaded, were removed due to content violations in the third quarter of 2021, according to a TikTok transparency report
"We use a combination of technology and people to identify and remove violations of our Community Guidelines, and we will continue to train our automated systems and security teams to adhere to our policies," the company said in its statement.
