TikTok, the popular short-video platform owned by ByteDance, has revealed in its Q3 2024 Community Guidelines Enforcement Report that 2.1 million videos posted by Nigerian users were removed for violating its content policies. This places Nigeria among the top 50 countries with the highest number of policy-violating content.
Globally, TikTok removed 147.8 million videos during the same period, with approximately 90% of these removals originating from the top 50 offending markets.
Reasons for Content Removal
The removed videos violated TikTok’s policies, which focus on:
Integrity and Authenticity
Privacy and Security
Mental and Behavioral Health
Safety and Civility
Account and Engagement Removals
TikTok also took action against fake accounts and other inauthentic activities:
214.8 million accounts were removed, including:
187.3 million fake accounts
24.3 million accounts belonging to users suspected to be under the age of 13
3.2 million accounts removed for other reasons
1.3 billion comments were deleted from videos.
1.1 billion likes were removed for being inauthentic.
57.2 million fake followers were identified and removed.
12.2 million live sessions were suspended for policy violations.
TikTok stated:
“We remain vigilant in detecting external threats and safeguarding the platform from fake accounts and engagement.”
Advertising Policy Enforcement
TikTok reported a decline in ads removed for policy violations:
1.9 million ads were removed in Q3 2024, down from 2.2 million in Q2.
Advertiser accounts and content are subject to TikTok’s Community Guidelines, Advertising Policies, and Terms of Service.
The platform emphasized its commitment to continually strengthening systems to identify and remove non-compliant ads.
Global Challenges and Legal Battles
Despite its enforcement actions, TikTok continues to face scrutiny worldwide.
In October 2024, 13 U.S. states and the District of Columbia filed lawsuits accusing TikTok of failing to protect young users from harm. The lawsuits claim that TikTok’s platform is:
Designed to be addictive
Exploiting children’s vulnerabilities for profit
Ineffective in moderating harmful content
The lawsuits seek financial penalties and increased accountability for TikTok, alleging that its design contributes to mental health issues among young users.
What This Means
TikTok’s enforcement actions underscore its ongoing efforts to create a safer and more authentic platform. However, the challenges of regulating content and addressing global concerns highlight the complexities of operating a platform with such vast reach and influence.
