TikTok will remove some clips from teens’ feeds

In February of this year, TikTok said that it was working on new ways to restrict some sorts of content based on the user’s age in an effort to increase the safety of adolescents; today, more information is available regarding the rating system.

In the next weeks, a system known as Content Levels will be implemented. The corporation has linked its approach to grading systems used in the film and game industries, and intends to filter videos with “adult user” themes, removing them from the feeds of adolescents. The technique will be utilized for videos that do not otherwise break TikTok’s guidelines but may be inappropriate for younger app users.

Due to this modification, when adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 encounter a video with “mature or complicated” content, they will instead see a warning that the video is restricted.

TikTok explained, “When we determine that a video contains mature and sophisticated topics, such as situations that may be too frightening or dramatic for younger audiences, that video will be assigned a rating to prohibit those under 18 from viewing it.”

The corporation did not provide specifics regarding its rating system and the criteria it will use to classify its clips. TikTok stated that the feature is still in its infancy and would be expanded in the future. Executives of the company have previously stated that they intend to allow customers to select the type of material that best suits them.

In the meanwhile, the app is adding a new filtering option for its For You tab. In the coming weeks, users will be able to block specific phrases or hashtags connected with content they do not wish to see in the future.

TikTok has released an update aimed at preventing possibly harmful “repetitive patterns” in For You suggestions. Ways to prevent individuals from becoming overloaded with knowledge concerning potentially distressing topics, such as mental health or eating disorders, are currently being evaluated. According to reports, the testing were effective, so users in the United States will be less likely to encounter multiple clips on certain themes simultaneously.

Additionally, TikTok is now striving to make this feature accessible to users in additional countries.