TikTok is aiming to grow along with its primary user-base of teenage kids as the Chinese social media platform is introducing an adults-only option for live streamers on the platform who wish to restrict their viewership to 18 and older.
Regarding the situations and justifications for setting an age restriction, TikTok provided a few hypothetical instances. “Perhaps someone beyond the age of 18 would be more suited for a comedic routine. Or a host might intend to discuss a challenging life story and feel more at peace knowing the conversation is only open to adults, the business said in a news release on Monday.
Those arguments may appear naively chaste, but TikTok won’t become the next Only Fans as a result of the platform’s decision to age-restrict some content. The majority of the content that would often be categorized as “adult” is strictly prohibited on the platform. In the community guidelines for the company, it is stated that “we do not accept nudity, pornography, or sexually explicit content.”
Worth noting though: Just because the site says explicit content isn’t allowed, doesn’t mean it doesn’t show up. TikTok has struggled with its moderation in the past, and videos that should, theoretically, be barred based on the community guidelines often slip through the cracks.
Interestingly, the business also disclosed another age-related modification to live streaming. Only adults will soon be able to stream. The minimum age requirement for livestreaming on TikTok is now 1,000 followers, but starting November 23, it will be increased to 18.
