TikTok has updated its guidelines and standards for content and users with a ban on deep fakes of young people on Tuesday, as the popular Chinese-owned video-sharing app faces increased criticism from Western authorities amid fears that material on the popular Chinese-owned video-sharing app might be used to spread false information. The company published restructured community standards that feature eight principles to govern content moderation choices.
“These principles are based on our commitment to upholding human rights and aligned with international legal frameworks,” said Julie de Bailliencourt, TikTok’s global head of product policy.
She stated that TikTok seeks to be fair, to protect human dignity, and to balance free expression with the prevention of harm.
The Chinese-owned app has been chastised in the United States, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, where a growing number of governments have banned TikTok from devices used for official business, citing concerns that it could jeopardize cybersecurity and data privacy or be used to spread pro-Beijing narratives and misinformation. So far, there is no indication that this has occurred, or that TikTok has handed over user data to the Chinese government, as some of its detractors have claimed.
TikTok has drawn criticism in the U.S., India, Europe, and Asia-Pacific
ByteDance CEO Shou Zi Chew is due to testify before the United States Congress on Thursday regarding the company’s privacy and data security standards, as well as its ties with the Chinese government. The guidelines, which go into effect on April 21, were repackaged from TikTok’s current standards and include additional facts and explanations.
Among the more noteworthy changes are new details concerning the company’s restrictions on deep fakes, commonly known as artificial media made by artificial intelligence technology. TikTok clarifies its policy, stating that all deep fakes or edited videos depicting realistic settings must be tagged to warn that they are fake or altered in some way.
TikTok previously prohibited deep fakes, which deceive viewers about real-world events and inflict harm. Deepfakes of private figures and young people are also prohibited under the amended criteria.
Deepfakes of public people are acceptable in some circumstances, such as for aesthetic or educational purposes, but not for political or commercial support.