TikTok Updates Safety Features To Protect Underage Users

Video-sharing giant, TikTok has introduced a series of updates to its safety features to further protect underage users on the platform following its bad influence for hosting dangerous viral “challenges” on its app, which at their worst, have led to serious injury or death.

TikTok has said that it will start deleting “alarmist warnings” about possible harmful online challenges and hoaxes. According to the report from the research conducted reveals that warnings can exacerbate the problem by treating the hoax as real.

In response to the outcome of the research, TikTok said the technology it uses to alert its safety teams to increases in prohibited content linked to hashtags will now be extended to also capture “potentially dangerous behaviour” that attempts to hijack or piggyback on an otherwise common hashtag.

The company also said that it will “improve the language” used in its content warning labels to encourage users to visit its Safety Centre for more information, and was adding new materials to that space aimed at parents and carers unsure on how to discuss the subject with children.

TikTok’s head of safety public policy for Europe, Alexandra Evans said that the aim of the project was to “better understand young people’s engagement with potentially harmful challenges and hoaxes”.

“While not unique to any one platform, the effects and concerns are felt by all – and we wanted to learn how we might develop even more effective responses as we work to better support teens, parents, and educators,” she said, adding that the company wanted to help “contribute to a wider understanding of this area”.

“For our part, we know the actions we’re taking now are just some of the important work that needs to be done across our industry, and we will continue to explore and implement additional measures on behalf of our community.”