TikTok bans deepfakes from private individuals and wants labels on other deepfakes

TikTok has introduced additional rules for “synthetic and manipulated media,” which includes, for example, deepfakes. For example, certain manipulated content must receive a sticker or caption and deepfakes of private individuals are no longer allowed.

Artificial intelligence can do it according to TikTok making it more difficult to distinguish between fact and fiction, which carries ‘both societal and individual risks’. Therefore, TikTok posts that show realistic scenes with synthetic or manipulated content must clearly state this. This statement can be made with a sticker or caption, for example, in which the words artificial, fake, not real or modified are stated.

The platform also prohibits the creation of synthetic content with the likeness of ‘real private figures’. Deepfakes with, for example, friends or relatives are no longer allowed. TikTok does allow space for deepfakes based on public figures, such as celebrities and politicians.

The platform only says it does not want such public figures to “become the subject of abuse or people to be misled about political or financial issues.” Users are therefore not allowed to deepfake public figures if that content is used for statements of support “or violates other policies”. With the latter, TikTok refers to, among other things, hate speech, sexual exploitation or serious forms of intimidation.

Deceiving users with content such as deepfakes was already prohibited, but TikTok has now expanded and clarified these rules. Recently, deepfakes have appeared on social media in which the voice is adjusted with artificial intelligence, so that the deepfake appears more realistic. TikTok’s new policy goes into effect on April 21.