TikTok is testing a new ability that allows users to restrict their livestreams to viewers who are 18 years of age and above. The platform company confirmed that the new setting is presently in limited testing with select users. Screenshots of the new setting are shared by product intelligence firm Watchful.ai showing that users who have access to the new option can navigate to their settings and change the “mature themes” button to limit their livestreams to adults.
TikTok Livestreams Tagged 18+ Will be Removed if They Violate the Guidelines
The app states that “only viewers 18 and above can see your livestreams” if you turn it on. Once you turn on the setting, TikTok will inform you that LIVE videos tagged 18+ will still be removed if they disregard the app’s community guidelines, which comprise guidelines on nudity and violence. The new restriction will pave a path for creators to dissuade minors from encountering content that’s aimed toward an adult audience.
The new setting comes a few months after TikTok stated that it wanted to start pinpointing which content is suitable for younger and older teens versus adults. TikTok stated that it was developing a system to identify and limit certain types of content from being accessed by teens and that it would start asking developers to specify when their content is more suitable for an adult audience.
Creators Sometimes Desire to Reach Only a Specific Age
“We’ve heard directly from our creators that they sometimes have a desire to only reach a specific older audience. So, as an example, maybe they’re creating a comedy that has adult humor, or offering kind of boring workplace tips that are relevant only to adults. Or maybe they’re talking about very difficult life experiences,” explained Tracy Elizabeth, TikTok’s U.S. head of Issue Policy, who handles minor safety for the platform, in a briefing with reporters in February.
Read more: Peshawar High Court Orders TikTok to Remove Objectionable Content
