TikTok’s new System will Instantly Remove Indecent Content

Short-video making app TikTok is bringing out a new system that automatically removes indecent content from its platform.

TikTok will now block videos related to violence, nudity, sex, and anything else that violates its policies.

The algorithm will look for posts that violate the company’s policies relating to the safety of its users.

If the system detects a violation, it will remove the video from TikTok as soon as it is uploaded, as per the new guidelines.

The user will be informed of the video’s removal, and will be able to appeal the company’s decision.

Users will also still be able to flag videos for manual reviewing.

TikTok’s new changes will be rolled out in the US and Canada first, and will later expand to India and other countries around the world.

TikTok is confident its system is accurate enough to detect videos with indecent content.

According to them, only one in 20 videos have been wrongly removed so far.

The company previously revealed that it removed more than 7 million accounts of those found to be under the age of 13.

According to reports, almost one-third of TikTok’s users were under the age of 14, which is against the company’s guidelines.

TikTok believes that the automatic system will also give its staff more time to focus on content that requires a more thorough approach, such as harassment and hate speech.

TikTok is currently doing everything it can to comply with India’s safety guidelines.

India banned the app in June 2020 over user privacy and national security concerns. Now, it is trying to make its way back into the Indian market.

Since being banned in India, TikTok took a huge hit after losing around 200 million users. Therefore, reclaiming their Indian consumers is of paramount importance to them.

According to reports, TikTok’s parent firm ByteDance attempted to negotiate with India’s IT ministry over bringing TikTok back to India.

A source said:

“ByteDance is definitely hopeful that the ban will be lifted and that operations in India can be resumed.

“India is a key market for ByteDance and no tech company can afford to not be in a country with 1.4 billion users.”

Despite the ban, however, ByteDance has reportedly been selling TikTok’s AI technology to other companies.

Through their new division, BytePlus, customers can access TikTok’s algorithm and “personalise it for their apps and customers”.