TikTok is known for having crackdowns on content, especially age-restricted or sensitive topics. Users have the option to flag content that they may see on their For You Page and deem inappropriate. When enough users complain about a video, TikTok places the video under review.
In order to flag a video, users can hold it down on the screen, allowing a menu to pop up. From there, one can select “Report” followed by choosing a reason behind their decision to report the video.
Videos can be reported for a variety of reasons including violence, harassment, scams, and spam. Sometimes videos are put under review right after being posted which is typically not because they were reported.
Sometimes when a video receives a large amount of engagement right off the bat, the algorithm reviews it just to ensure there are no issues. Some users say that the longest they’ve ever had a video under review was 45 minutes while others claim theirs have been subjected to the assessment for hours.
Often, creators add disclaimers to their videos, saying they aren’t minor to avoid having videos reviewed. If TikTok decides that a video is inappropriate, a couple of different things can happen. Typically, the video will just be taken down.
However, if too many of a creator’s videos are flagged, their account itself runs the risk of being placed under review and the rest of their videos can be shadowbanned. Shadowbanning will effectively limit the account’s audience as it makes sure that no one other than a creator’s followers can see their videos, which means their content isn’t being pushed on the For You page.
So, it is better to be safe than sorry, which means to avoid being reviewed, users can simply check their videos for any sensitive or inappropriate content as well as include disclaimers about their age and identity.