TikTok’s Leaked Guidelines Show It Discriminated Against ‘Ugly’ People & Homes
Image via XanderSt / Shutterstock.com
TikTok has been discovered to have purportedly suppressed content posted by “unattractive” people or uploaders in less idealistic homes, according to internal documents picked up by The Intercept.
In a lengthy report, the publication said the guidelines—which were apparently in use in China and TikTok’s global offices at least until end 2019—asked moderators to push down content uploaded by less attractive and poor users in the ‘For You’ section, as it could reduce “short-term new user retention rate.” They also ordered to censor political declarations that could hurt “national honor,” given the sensitive political climate in China.
Undesirable physical features stated in the documents included “abnormal body shape, chubby, have obvious beer belly, or too thin… ugly facial looks (not limited to: disformatted face, fangs, lack of front teeth… too many wrinkles)” and even dwarfism.
Further, moderators were asked to suppress videos shot in environments that were “shabby and dilapidated,” including if there were cracks in the wall and “disreputable decorations.”
A TikTok representative told the media outlet that “most of” the regulations are “no longer in use,” or were never implemented at all. As for the list detailing “ugly” physical traits, the spokesperson said it was “an early blunt attempt at preventing bullying, but [is] no longer in place.”
However, the document found by The Intercept explained that content had to be curated aesthetically because less-manicured videos were “not that suitable for new users for being less fancy and appealing.”
The representative also shared with The Intercept that the memos seemed to be similar to guidelines obtained by German news site Netzpolitik last December that were set in place to “prevent bullying” against LGBTQ, disabled or overweight users.
A TikTok spokesperson also reaffirmed that the policies were never applied in the US.
Poor or ugly? TikTok doesn’t want you on the for you page https://t.co/y0xlIxAxeJ pic.twitter.com/UWFmKo8pH2
— Matthew Panzarino (@panzer) March 16, 2020
[via The Intercept, cover image via XanderSt / Shutterstock.com]
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