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Misinformation and false content

Last updated: July 2025

Principle

At TikTok, our aim is to provide a reliable and trustworthy space for our diverse community. By prohibiting content that is inaccurate, misleading, or false, we aim to create an environment where users can engage with authentic, credible, and reliable information, fostering a positive and informed community experience.


Misinformation

We value diverse views and opinions that make our community rich and dynamic. While we encourage open dialogue, we are committed to maintaining a safe and trustworthy environment by taking action against misinformation, such as false, misleading, or unsubstantiated content, and manipulated content which misleads viewers into perceiving it as published by reputable and qualified sources such as news outlets or government agencies, that could harm individuals or society regardless of intent. We rely on independent fact-checking partners and our database of previously fact-checked claims to help assess the accuracy of the content.


Health misinformation

We are committed to combatting misinformation which can influence personal health decisions, weaken trust in credible health sources, and contribute to public health crises. To ensure that our community has access to accurate medical information to support well-informed health choices, we remove health misinformation relating to serious medical conditions or public health issues, or health misinformation that could lead to serious harm to individuals or discourage people from seeking proper medical care.


Examples of what is not allowed:

  • False claims about causes, symptoms, transmission, prevention, or treatment of serious health conditions

  • Promotion of unproven, unsafe, or experimental substances or practices as medical treatments

  • Misinformation about the safety, efficacy, or ingredients of approved treatments, such as vaccines, particularly when it contradicts health authority guidance

  • Promotion of content that undermines public trust in health authorities and credible health sources

  • False endorsements or impersonations of health professionals or institutions

  • Claims that discourage timely or professional medical care in favor of unapproved alternatives


Misinformation that poses a risk to public safety and undermines public trust

We do not allow misinformation, false, misleading, or unsubstantiated content, that is likely to pose a risk of harm to public safety to individuals, groups, or society. This includes dangerous forms of misinformation which may result in violence or unrest, impede access to emergency services or basic needs, give rise to significant harm by fuelling tensions, encouraging violence, or stoking public panic.


We also do not allow misinformation content that is likely to erode public trust by spreading harmful conspiratorial content or that is grounded in false claims.


Examples of what is not allowed:

  • Denying, fabricating, or misrepresenting local contexts regarding critical events, such as natural or human-made disasters, infrastructure failures, armed conflicts, war, violent events, international crisis

  • Falsely blaming individuals or groups for dangerous incidents or conspiracies, fueling division or violence

  • Interfering with public health, rescue or emergency response efforts

  • Making false claims about the availability or access to basic necessities, such as food, water, currency and emergency services

  • Encouraging hate or violence based on misinformation

  • Denying the occurrence of a critical event or dangerous incident while offering an alternative, conspiratorial explanation

  • Promoting conspirational content that explains a subject, event in an alternative, non-scientific way that can erode public trust


Environmental or climate misinformation

Climate change and environmental degradation are widely recognized by scientists as having significant adverse consequences for human health, ecosystems, and communities at large. As such, we are committed to supporting accurate public discourse on climate and environmental issues. We do not allow misinformation that misleads or misinforms users about climate change, or global environmental issues. Ads must align with the well-established scientific consensus and represent environmental issues responsibly.


Examples of what is not allowed:

  • Denying the reality, severity, or impact of climate change or environmental issues

  • Misrepresenting scientific facts, data, or research related to climate change or environmental issues

  • Distorting the causes of climate change or environmental issue

  • Spreading false or misleading claims about climate solutions, such as renewable energy, policy measures

  • Incorrectly assigning blame for climate change and environmental issues

  • Misrepresenting the motivations behind climate change or environmental actions or movements


Election misinformation

We do not allow ads featuring political content across any of our monetization features, including paid ads, creators being compensated to make branded political content, and other promotional tools on the platform. Our Politics, Governments, and Elections policy outlines specific political content violations, and strict restrictions.


We take election integrity extremely seriously and do not allow ads that contain misinformation about civic or electoral processes.


Examples of what is not allowed:

  • How, when, and where to vote or register to vote

  • Eligibility requirements of voters to participate in an election, and the qualifications for candidates to run for office

  • Laws, processes, and procedures that govern the organization and implementation of elections and other civic processes, such as referendums, ballot propositions, or censuses

  • Final results or outcome of an election including false declaration of results, voter fraud and falsely accusing election rigging


Examples of what is allowed:

  • Educational and fact-based content: Content focussed on counter-speech, debunking a false statement, or raising awareness

  • Fictional content: Clearly identifiable scripted or unscripted content, such as television, film, or animation that depicts characters, events, or storylines involving misinformation, where it is evident to viewers that the content is fictional

  • Humorous content: Claims made or content shared that deliberately uses humor, parody, or satire to critique or comment on misinformation

  • Discussion-based content: Content that simply outlines, discusses, or explains misinformation or conspiracy theories for informational purposes. This type of content is allowed as long as the content does not actively promote, endorse, or encourage belief in conspiracy theories and is not intended to cause harm or panic


Synthetic and manipulated media

Policy

We do not allow visual or audio material that has been edited, spliced, or combined in a way that may mislead a viewer about real-world events.


Manipulated or synthetic media is allowed only if the following requirements are met:

  • Include clear disclosures or labels in the ad content.

  • Ensure that any synthetic media which contains the visual or audio likeness of a real person (whether a public or private figure) has consent from the real person to be used in an ad in this way.

  • Ensure that any ad with synthetic media meets copyright laws, data protection laws, and privacy laws.


Examples of content that must be disclosed or labeled:

  • Content that contains images, video, or audio that are completely AI-generated

  • Content that contains real source material that has been significantly modified by AI

When we say "significantly modified by AI," we mean content that has been changed by AI beyond minor tweaks or enhancements. This includes using real images or videos as source material but altering them substantially with AI, such as:

  • Showing the primary subject doing something they didn't actually do, like dancing.

  • Making the primary subject say something they didn't actually say, using AI voice-cloning.

  • Changing the appearance or voice of the primary subject so much that they're no longer recognizable or visible, such as AI face-swapping.

Insignificant AI edits are minor tweaks or enhancements changed by AI, such as:

  • Adjustments to lighting, brightness, or color saturation

  • Removing or modifying backgrounds

  • Denoising images to reduce noise levels

If you are uncertain whether your content falls under these categories, it's best to use caution and label it accordingly.

Content
  • Principle
  • Misinformation
  • Health misinformation
  • Misinformation that poses a risk to public safety and undermines public trust
  • Environmental or climate misinformation
  • Election misinformation
  • Synthetic and manipulated media
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