TikTok Grants Users Control to Decrease AI-Generated Media in Their Feeds

TikTok is introducing a updated setting that enables them to cut down on the quantity of AI-created videos appearing in their streams. This step comes as the service disclosed that it now features in excess of 1 bn AI-generated clips.

Pilot Phase and Launch

The new functionality is being tested over the next few weeks before a global release. This shift comes amid a surge in AI-generated material, spurred by emerging video-generation tools.

AI Proliferation Online

Recent reports that almost one in 10 of the quickest rising video streams on another major platform exclusively feature AI-generated videos. A large amount of this material is considered “AI slop”, a term for poor-quality, factory-style content that is typically illogical or bizarre.

Our research shows that numerous viewers like content produced via AI tools, including digital art to science explainers, and we aim to provide users the option to adjust the amount of that, according to their own likes,” stated a platform representative.

Scale of AI Content

The service announced that there are presently 1.3bn videos on its app identified as AI-generated. In total, more than 100 million pieces of content are submitted to the app every day, making AI-generated material a relatively small part of its overall inventory.

User Control Features

Members will be in a position to decrease or raise the level of AI-generated videos they view by opening the “manage topic” option in the platform and choosing the AI content topic. Other topics that can already be controlled under the filter cover news, fashion, cosmetics, and choreography.

Content Labeling and Policies

The platform’s policies require users to tag “realistic” artificially created content, and it forbids malicious deepfakes of celebrities or emergencies. Any believable AI-generated clip that is not labeled can be deleted under its terms of service.

Furthermore, the service will from now on add an “AI-made” watermark to content created with its own AI tools, or identified by an collaborative effort for identifying AI-generated material. This action is aimed to stop users from seeking to circumvent the labeling process.

Educational Initiatives

The platform is furthermore establishing a $2 million educational fund for experts and institutions to produce educational content about ethical AI use. This project will support charitable organizations specializing in training programming and robotics.

Moderation Strategy

The video-sharing app has supported its moderation strategy, amid discussion over intentions to cut jobs for a large number of content moderators in Britain. It is planning to eliminate hundreds of positions in its content moderation team in its British office, with labor groups and internet security professionals voicing alarm that humans are being replaced by AI moderation.

A trust and safety lead clarified that human moderation would remain essential, but automated tools can shield workers by removing the most harmful content before it gets reviewed by people. TikTok reported a notable drop in disturbing and violent content seen by safety staff over the last 12 months due to reliance on its AI tools.

It is vital to balance humans and technology to ensure user safety,” she said. “We’ll have people as involved in the system, but we also think it’s very important to minimize viewing of harmful content as quickly as possible, which is why a lot of the machine support is proving valuable work at speed.”
Candice Bradford
Candice Bradford

A tech enthusiast and lifestyle writer with a passion for breaking down complex topics into easy-to-understand summaries.