TikTok bans one in five videos shared from UK

TikTok removes a higher proportion of videos put up by users in Pakistan than in any other country, research finds. The UK is also a top five ‘offender’ when it comes to content that breaks the social media platform’s rules.

More than seven in ten videos put up by TikTok’s 16.5 million Pakistani users were removed from the Chinese-owned social media platform in the first three months of 2023, family safety app provider AI Digital claims.

While it stops short of specifying which country is most guilty of what offense to get user content banned, overall it found that three in ten posts globally were removed due to child safety concerns.

Of course, AI Digital has a vested interest in claiming such, and Cybernews could not verify its claims at the time of going to press.

Other top offenses noted by the digital safety company between January and March included “illegal activities and regulated goods” (27.2% of removals) and “adult nudity and sexual activities” (14.7%).

The UK has nothing to be proud of either, if AI Digital’s research is anything to go by, as it came in fourth place for countries judged to have the most offensive content by number of users, after Azerbaijan and the Dominican Republic.

Just under one in five video posts put up during the research period by British users, who number close to 20 million, were removed by TikTok, which is owned by China-based firm ByteDance.

“This data underscores the complexities associated with content moderation on a global scale,” said a Canopy spokesperson. “As a global platform, TikTok grapples with the delicate balance of adhering to local regulations and maintaining a vibrant and diverse content ecosystem.”

Praising TikTok’s tough stance on removing videos threatening minors and urging the importance of “region-specific content guidelines,” Canopy said its findings demonstrated “the need for transparent and effective communication between platform operators, content creators, and regulatory authorities.”

It added: “As TikTok continues to evolve, it remains imperative for the platform to adapt and refine its content moderation strategies to foster a safe and inclusive environment for users worldwide, particularly vulnerable minors.”

Other top offending videos censored by TikTok, as recorded by Canopy, included “violent and graphic content” (9.1%), “harassment and bullying” (5.3%), and “violent extremism” (1.4%).