TikTok follows Twitch with deepfake ban in new guidelines update

TikTok is following in the footsteps of Twitch with a new update to its community guidelines that ban deepfakes and other uses of AI-generated “synthetic media.”

Over the last few months, AI-generated content has taken over the internet in various ways, whether it be Dall-E, ChatGPT, or other various apps.

Content creators have used AI to create synthetic media, also known as deepfakes across their platforms, making fake videos of various influencers and other random people on the internet.

Twitch began banning deepfakes on the site two weeks ago, and now TikTok has followed their lead for the short-form video site.

TikTok issues ban on deepfake content in new update

In a blog post on TikTok’s website, Global Head of Product Policy Julie de Bailliencourt revealed the new updates to their community guidelines, which will take effect on April 21, 2023.

A major part of the guidelines includes updates to how they handle deepfake content on the platform, including making sure it’s labeled in a way that makes it clear the content is produced by an AI.

“Synthetic media or manipulated that shows realistic scenes must be clearly disclosed. This can be done through the use of a sticker or caption, such as ‘synthetic’, ‘fake’, ‘not real’, or ‘altered’,” it reads.

TikTok

The new rule update also allows TikTok to limit what type of AI content is uploaded to the platform, as they’ve issued bans on synthetic media that “contains the likeness of any real private figure.”

On top of that, AI content that uses the likeness of public figures as an endorsement for a product will be banned from the site as well.

Back in February, a deepfake video of Joe Rogan endorsing a product that he had never mentioned before went viral on the platform, giving viewers a good example of potentially misleading content on the internet.

We’ll have to wait to see if other platforms begin to introduce deepfake rules into their guidelines. In the meantime, head over to our entertainment section for more news.