TikTok, the popular video app developed by ByteDance, has announced new functions that will allow you to customize in a much more precise way what content may or may not appear in the ‘For you’ section‘, which shows recommended videos based on user interests. The application is also including new protection measures for the little ones, such as age restrictions or an adjustment of its algorithm to prevent it from showing content that could become harmful to the Internet user.
One of the novelties that the platform is implementing is giving the user the possibility of choosing what content they do not want to see in their ‘For you’, limiting hashtags or keywords. Currently, TikTok offers a button that allows you to mark the video as not interesting and allows, in a way, to prevent the app from recommending clips of that style. Now, with the new function, by clicking on that button it will also be possible to select the hashtags or words that appear marked in the description of that video. This, according to the company, can be useful if the user does not want to see more videos, for example, on a specific topic that, for whatever reason, they are no longer interested in.
TikTok, on the other hand, too will start limiting the appearance of videos that could be harmful to the user. That is, content that can lead to the development of a mental health problem if it is constantly viewed or that, in a certain way, can be depressing for some people.
TikTok would restrict some videos in the ‘For You’ section of underage users
In relation to the safety of the little ones, TikTok will start restricting those videos that are not suitable for users between 13 and 17 years old; which is the age range in which minors can use the app. Until now, the app did not limit those videos not recommended for minors, it simply added a notice with a button that allowed you to skip the clip, or view it. Now, on the other hand, this type of video will not be shown recommended to users with this age range.
“When we detect that a video contains mature or complex themes, for example, fictional scenes that may be too scary or intense for younger audiences, a maturity score will be assigned to the video to help prevent viewing by those under 18.” through the TikTok experience.”
It is not clear, however, if the app will add some kind of identification system for those minors who use the application, as Instagram plans to do. In any case, all these improvements related to the platform’s algorithm will arrive gradually over the next few weeks.