TikTok Has Banned Deepfakes of Private Figures in Its Updated Content Moderation Policies
TikTok announced new guidelines to address the use of deepfakes—powerful AI-generated creations that can misrepresent what people do and say—on its platform.
In light of the looming threat of a potential ban on TikTok in the United States, the viral video app has unveiled a set of updated content moderation policies. While the bulk of the guidelines remain consistent, TikTok has introduced new limitations on the sharing of AI deepfakes, which have recently gained notoriety on the platform.
TikTok's Community Guidelines prohibit the posting of graphic violence, hate speech, and overtly sexual content, with age-based rules for the latter. However, the platform has expanded its policy on "synthetic and manipulated media," specifically targeting AI deepfakes that have gained traction on the app.
Previously, TikTok's deepfake policy consisted of a single line that prohibited content that could "mislead users by distorting the truth of events [or] cause significant harm to the subject of the video." However, the revised policy mandates that all AI-generated content must be unmistakably identified as such, either in the video caption or with an overlaid sticker.
TikTok has also stated that it will not allow any synthetic media featuring the likeness of any private individual or depicting a public figure endorsing a product or violating the platform's other policies, such as hate speech. Public figures are defined as individuals over the age of 18 who have "a significant public role, such as a government official, politician, business leader, or celebrity."
The proliferation of AI-generated content on TikTok has skyrocketed, largely due to the widespread availability of AI voice cloning tools that enable users to effortlessly imitate someone's voice. As a result, new sub-genres of content have emerged, showcasing public figures such as President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump in unexpected and often humorous situations. Unfortunately, the darker side of this phenomenon has given rise to more pernicious deepfakes that depict these same figures spewing transphobic or homophobic rhetoric. Such deepfakes have led to confusion and concern among viewers, highlighting the potential dangers of this rapidly evolving technology.
As Western governments continue to express concerns over TikTok's data collection practices and potential influence on public opinion, parent company ByteDance faces mounting political pressure. In fact, the US government has gone so far as to threaten a public ban of the app if ByteDance doesn't divest its stake. In addition to this, TikTok has already been banned on government devices in several countries, including the US, UK, New Zealand, and Canada. Against this backdrop, TikTok's recently updated policies represent the company's latest efforts to navigate the complicated landscape of global politics and shifting regulations.
While TikTok refrained from directly addressing concerns over its collection of user data and potential influence on public opinion, the company did make a point to underscore its commitment to transparency by introducing a set of eight "Community Principles." These principles are intended to inform the company's decision-making process and offer insight into the guiding values that shape its daily operations and enforcement protocols. Worth noting is the fact that TikTok's newly updated policies are anchored by two guiding principles: the imperative to "prevent harm" and the goal to "enable free expression."
