TikTok had just published the latest version of its Community Guidelines Enforcement responses, which outlines all of the accounts and videos that it either removed or took some sort of action on during Q2 of this year (2022). ‘Mo users, Mo problems’, or so the saying goes. There’s a bit to take in, so let’s jump to it.
Ya’ll Is Fake
Let’s start with video removals – TikTok took down more than 113 million video clips between April and June this year due to policy violations and other issues, marking an 11% increase from the previous quarter, though that remains pretty much in line with the ongoing trend. So while TikTok continues to grow, its potential for misuse also rises.
On that note, TikTok has also been improving when it comes to proactive removals and getting rid of violative material before anybody sees it. So TikTok is doing more to protect its users from potentially harmful in-app exposure, though it may still have a ways to go in policing misinformation specifically. A recent study by NewsGuard says that 1 in 5 search results in the app contains misinformation, including searches for ‘2022 election’ to ‘mRNA vaccine’. Interestingly enough, these findings seem to counter TikTok’s data, which otherwise suggest, in isolation, that it’s actually getting better on this front.
Misinformation is but one of the concerns linked to content removal. TikTok has also provided an overview of other common reasons and violations, among the categories are:
- ‘Integrity and Authenticity’
- ‘Minor Safety’
- ‘Illegal Activity’
- ‘Nudity’
‘Minor Safety’ is a critical concern for the app, especially given its younger user base and the concern that it incentivizes more risque content, especially from young girls. Digging deeper into this element, ‘Nudity and Sexual Activity Involving Minors’ is by far the biggest reason for removal, which is reasonably alarming. Again, this remains a crucial area for TikTok and, based on its current numbers, it at least appears that TikTok is actively addressing the element. What’s more concerning here is that users actually opt to post these kinds of content, suggesting that its algorithms really do incentivize such activity.
On account removals specifically, fake accounts remain the largest contributor, with over 33 fake profiles removed between Q1 and Q2 – a 62% increase. Again, this is highly attributed to TikTok’s growth since more people equate to more exposure, which tends to amplify questionable trends or encourage others to engage in illicit activity. The fact that so many fake TikTok accounts are being created, or at least been attempted to be created, also points to the growing value of the influencer industry, and how the market for fake followers in the app is less likely on the rise. Supply and demand will see this trend continue upwards, which is why TikTok must remain vigilant, lest its influencers risk losing credibility and value for brands.
To add to these data notes, TikTok says that it’s continually evolving its systems and continues to invest in tech-based flagging, moderation, and fact-checking. TikTok also says that it has implemented a new, proactive fact-checking program that empowers fact-checkers to flag new and evolving claims that they’re seeing across the internet. TikTok has also recently expanded its own comment downvotes, mainly functioning as a secondary means to flag potentially concerning replies.
The Wrap
So TikTok is evolving its systems, in line with its broader growth, but the numbers also underline the importance of maintaining the pressure on these elements, ensuring that it remains up to speed with the latest techniques and approaches that scammers are using to cheat its systems. There are broader concerns regarding the overall security of the platform, but that’s a whole can of worms that’s best left to another day’s discussion.
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