TikTok says it has implemented a new notification system for users around the world that will offer more clarity on removing content. The system, which had been tested for a few months prior to its global release, informs a TikTok user when their video has been removed and what policy they violated. It will also offer the user the opportunity to appeal the decision if they so wish.
Now, when a video is removed due to content violations, users will receive an in-app notification, with the date of the post and the specific policy it violated, along with a link to read the Community Guidelines.
And if the video content has been flagged as self-harming or related to suicide, TikTok will also direct users to expert resources through an additional notification, including the nonprofit organization befrienders.org. However, it does not appear to include numbers for suicide hotlines, but directs users or users' friends to call "local law enforcement".
Facebook and Instagram, in comparison, have a more robust system and a wider range of partners who offer support in cases like this.
In the past, TikTok users have often complained about their videos missing without warning. Some of these stories went viral, like when Lizzo called TikTok for taking some of her swimsuit videos, for example.
As more and more users have joined TikTok, video removals have also increased. In the first half of 2020, TikTok said it removed 104.5 million videos for policy violations, compared to more than 49 million removed during the second half of 2019.
The global launch of the new notification system also follows a recent expansion of TikTok enforcement actions around hate speech and other hateful ideologies.
The company only yesterday published an explanation of these changes for its European community. That update was incorrectly reported by some news sites as being a new policy, but most of the changes were first announced in the US in August.
Regardless of the timing, the stronger enforcement of TikTok's policies may have led to even more confusion over video removals, due to its lack of a clear notification system.
TikTok says it believes the new notification system for video removals will help reduce repeat breaches, as it did during testing. In addition, visits to its Community Guidelines have nearly tripled, following new notifications, as well as a 14% reduction in appeals.
"Being transparent with our community is the key to continuing to earn and maintain trust," TikTok said in an announcement. "We are delighted to be able to offer this new notification system to all of our users and will continue to work to improve the ways we help our community understand our policies as we continue to build a secure and supportive platform."