TikTok Launches New Strikes-Based Penalty System for Repeat Offenders

TikTok is rolling out a new strikes-based system for account suspensions and penalties, in order to weed out repeat offenders in the app, as opposed to taking action on each individual case.

Which, according to TikTok, is a common problem:

“Repeat violators tend to follow a pattern – our analysis has found that almost 90% violate using the same feature consistently, and over 75% violate the same policy category repeatedly.”

In order to impose stronger penalties, and provide more protection for users, TikTok’s new system will see users penalized based on their cumulative actions.

“Under the new system, if someone posts content that violates one of our Community Guidelines, the account will accrue a strike as the content is removed. If an account meets the threshold of strikes within either a product feature (i.e. Comments, LIVE) or policy (i.e. Bullying and Harassment), it will be permanently banned.”

TikTok says that its policy thresholds will vary depending on a violation’s potential to cause harm to our community members.

“For example, there may be a stricter threshold for violating our policy against promoting hateful ideologies, than for sharing low-harm spam. We will continue to issue permanent bans on the first strike for severe violations, including promoting or threatening violence, showing or facilitating child sexual abuse material (CSAM), or showing real-world violence or torture.”

In addition to this, accounts that accrue a high number of strikes across various policies and features will also be permanently banned.

“Strikes will expire from an account’s record after 90 days.”

It’s a good update, which will help TikTok improve its safety practices, and weed out some of the worst offenders in the app. Which will also, as noted, provide more protection for users, and with TikTok under rising pressure to keep its primarily younger audience safe, this is another important step in its evolving process.

In addition to this, TikTok’s also rolling out a new account status element in its Safety Center, which will provide an overview of any strikes or penalties applied to your account.

The updated display will also include a listing of all of the reports that you’ve made on other content or accounts, providing more transparency in its enforcement processes.

Finally, TikTok’s also launched a new test of a feature that will provide creators with information about which of their videos have been marked as ineligible for recommendation to For You feeds, along with why, and a link to its appeals process. The test is underway in selected markets.

Arguably the most popular social platform in the world right now, TikTok remains under significant pressure to provide more protection and safety measures. Each new improvement on this front is another important step, and it’s good to see TikTok looking to provide more tools and transparency elements.