TikTok Updates: New Guidelines for Live Streams & AI Content

TikTok Updates its Community Guidelines

TikTok is preparing revisions to its Community Guidelines, the rules governing user participation and content visibility on the platform, specifically impacting the For You feed. The update primarily focuses on simplifying the existing text, but several key changes are apparent.

These changes highlight TikTok’s prioritization of its marketplace, the depth of user personalization, and a slight modification regarding permissible AI-generated content.

Regulatory Compliance and Policy Revisions

Social media companies are increasingly subject to global regulations, including the U.K.’s Online Safety Act (OSA), the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), and the U.S.’s TAKE IT DOWN Act. These regulations have prompted policy updates across various platforms, as evidenced by recent changes to Bluesky’s policies.

TikTok’s updated guidelines will take effect on September 13, 2025, and largely involve clarifying existing text.

TikTok LIVE Creator Responsibilities

A significant portion of the revisions addresses the responsibilities of TikTok LIVE creators.

Creators are now explicitly held accountable for all activity occurring during their live sessions, even when utilizing third-party tools such as real-time translation or voice-to-text services. TikTok advises diligent monitoring of these tools to ensure compliance with platform rules.

Commercial Content and TikTok Shop

New guidelines have been introduced concerning commercial content on the platform.

Disclosure of commercial content is now strongly emphasized. Furthermore, TikTok will actively reduce the visibility of content that directs users to purchase products outside of TikTok Shop in regions where the TikTok Shop is available.

Personalized Search and Recommendations

TikTok is enhancing the personalization of user experiences, starting with search results.

Previously, the guidelines stated TikTok provided “relevant” search suggestions. The updated version clarifies that both “search results and recommendations may look different for everyone.” This personalization is driven by user data, including past searches and viewing history.

Personalized Comment Sections

The personalization extends to the comment sections as well.

TikTok now sorts comments based on factors like past replies, likes, and reports, resulting in a unique comment experience for each user.

AI-Generated Content Policies

The section concerning AI-generated content has been refined, with language becoming more concise.

The previous prohibition of content “sharing or showing fake authoritative sources or crisis events” has been replaced with a broader statement prohibiting content “that’s misleading about matters of public importance or harmful to individuals.”

The removal of specific language regarding AI endorsements is noteworthy, potentially indicating future allowance of celebrity-approved AI endorsements.

Changes to FYF Eligibility Standards

The For You feed (FYF) Eligibility Standards section has undergone a structural change.

Instead of a comprehensive list of ineligible content, details are now dispersed throughout the updated Community Guidelines, potentially reducing the section’s usefulness as a central reference point.

Reframing Content Moderation

TikTok has also adjusted the language used to describe its content moderation practices.

The previous description of maintaining a “safe, trustworthy, and vibrant” platform has been altered to emphasize a “safe, fun, and creative place for everyone.”

The removal of “trustworthy” from this description is a potentially significant shift. This change warrants attention.