Similar grading systems are being imitated by corporations in the video game, television, and film sectors.
As part of a new feature designed to resemble ratings used in the film, TV, and game industries, TikTok will start assigning content scores to videos in an effort to block potentially upsetting or “overtly mature” content from reaching users under the age of 18.
In accordance with a blog post published on Wednesday, TikTok will launch an early version of the service in the upcoming weeks, blocking off films that are age-restricted with a warning that reads “post unavailable.” According to the “thematic maturity” levels of each video, TikTok will award a “maturity score” to identify which films fit into that limited category.
According to Cormac Keenan, head of trust and safety at TikTok, “when we detect that a video contains mature or complex themes, for example, fictional scenes that may be too frightening or intense for younger audiences, a maturity score will be allocated to the video to help prevent those under 18 from viewing it across the TikTok experience.” In the upcoming months, we intend to offer additional capabilities to provide comprehensive material screening choices for our whole community so they can enjoy more of what they love. “We have concentrated on further securing the teen experience first,” we said.
When questioned about the maturity scores’ format and who would be giving them, a spokesperson for TikTok did not react right away.
Other filtering tools let users exclude certain terms or hashtags from their For You feeds so they won’t see certain kinds of videos.
The release of the function coincides with TikTok coming under fire for showing kids explicit content and other potentially hazardous videos, such as those that encourage eating disorders and drug usage. However, TikTok most recently came in last on GLAAD’s social media safety score card, trailing competitors like Meta’s Instagram, Facebook, and Alphabet’s YouTube. The platform has continued to release new features aimed at preserving the well-being of its users and has updated its community guidelines to forbid videos that promote disordered eating and hateful ideology.
