TikTok has announced some updates to its Community Guidelines, in order to put more focus on user safety, while also ensuring ease of access for creators and those trying to understand the platform’s various rules and policies.
TikTok’s updated guidelines aim to move the platform more into line with community expectation, while also seeking to simplify its various rules, in broad terms.
As explained by TikTok:
“Our updated Community Guidelines reflect our deep commitment to trust and safety, with clearer, simpler language, more transparency, and new or enhanced policies. This update builds on our ongoing trust and safety work, including a suite of safety features for teens and families, creators, and the whole TikTok community.”
The main rule changes relate to misinformation, as well as the misuse of TikTok for varying purpose.
The update is likely aimed at those looking to scrape TikTok and/or use TikTok accounts to promote misinformation, with TikTok adding a more strongly worded section around this element:
“We strictly prohibit automation tools, scripts, or other tricks designed to bypass our systems. These can result in content removal, account bans, or other enforcement. If your account is restricted or banned, you may not create or use another account to get around it.”
Account bans are repeatedly noted in this section, underlining the penalty for trying to subvert the platform’s usage rules.
TikTok has also updated its wording around the use of AI-generated content for malicious purpose:
“Even with labels, some edited or AI-generated content can still be harmful. We don’t allow content that’s misleading about matters of public importance or harmful to individuals.”
Previously, this segment referred to “fake authoritative sources or crisis events,” as well as false depictions of public figures in certain contexts. This updated wording covers more potential misuse, with a broad scope of coverage for these rules.
TikTok also clarified its language around content relating to gambling, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, firearms, and dangerous weapons, via a unified “Regulated goods and services” policy.
TikTok is also looking to provide clearer guidance based on its rules, via new “rules-at-a-glance” summaries, which will provide a high-level overview of each policy.
The idea is that this will help people understand its rules without having to comb through each specific provision:
“In particular, creators asked us for simpler, clearer language and definitions, and consistent enforcement so they can follow our rules and build thriving communities on our platform.”
TikTok also expanded the “Accounts and Features” section to better reflect its safety measures for features like direct messaging, comments, LIVE and TikTok Shop.
“We've also enhanced transparency about how we enforce our rules. For instance, we explain how we approach emerging harms during crises. We also provide more information about how our policies are applied in different regions to reflect and respect local cultures and norms.”
Finally, TikTok says that it’s also improving its enforcement of its platform rules through expanded use of AI, along with human moderators, which has led to many more violations being detected before users have reported them.
“Today, over 85% of the content removed for violating our Community Guidelines is identified and taken down by automation, and 99% of that content we remove before anybody reports it to us. We make it easy for creators to appeal removals or restrictions, and appeal rates have stayed steady as we've added and relied more on moderation technologies.”
These latest updates will add more clarity, and greater access to its rules and processes, in order to ensure that all creators and regular users can better understand their obligations in this respect.
TikTok says that its updated Community Guidelines will take effect on September 13, 2025.
