TikTok is changing its definition of hate speech to include deadnaming and misgendering, part of an overhaul of the video app’s community guidelines aimed at rooting out transphobia and other harmful behavior. The ByteDance Ltd.-owned platform also tightened its rules to bar videos that promote conversion therapy — attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity — as well as eating disorders and dangerous trends such as "suicide hoaxes.”
"Though these ideologies have long been prohibited on TikTok, we’ve heard from creators and civil society organizations that it’s important to be explicit in our community guidelines,” Cormac Keenan, TikTok’s head of trust and safety, said in a blog post. The updated guidelines now prohibit content that specifically targets transgender or nonbinary people by referring to them in ways that don’t align with their gender identity, he said.
TikTok’s explosive growth has made it a vital platform for teens and young people, putting its guidelines under increasing scrutiny. Its success also has forced rivals to scramble to keep up. After posting disappointing earnings last week, Meta Platforms Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg vowed to focus more on Reels, the company’s short-form video feature that resembles TikTok. The company has struggled to attract and maintain younger users on its flagship Facebook service.