TikTok, the popular short-video platform owned by Bytedance, reported that it removed 2.1 million videos uploaded by Nigerian users in the third quarter of 2024 for violating its content guidelines. Nigeria was among the top 50 countries with the highest number of policy-violating videos during this period. Globally, TikTok removed a staggering 147.8 million videos in Q3 due to similar violations.
The company’s Community Guidelines Enforcement report revealed that the top 50 markets accounted for about 90% of all content takedowns for the quarter. The removed videos breached TikTok’s guidelines on Integrity and Authenticity, Privacy and Security, Mental and Behavioral Health, Safety, and Civility, among other categories.
Massive Account Removals
TikTok also reported the deletion of 214.8 million accounts globally in Q3, targeting fake accounts and those belonging to users under 13 years of age.
- Fake Accounts: The majority of the removed accounts—187.3 million—were identified as fake.
- Underage Users: TikTok deleted 24.3 million accounts suspected to be owned by individuals under 13.
- Other Reasons: An additional 3.2 million accounts were removed for undisclosed reasons.
“We are dedicated to identifying and removing external threats, such as fake accounts and inauthentic engagement, to ensure the platform’s integrity,” TikTok stated in its report. “While these threats frequently test our systems, we remain committed to swift and accurate action to safeguard our community.”
Additional Enforcement Actions
TikTok highlighted several other enforcement measures during Q3 2024:
- Comments: 1.3 billion comments were removed for policy violations.
- Likes: 1.1 billion likes were deleted as they originated from fake or automated mechanisms.
- Live Sessions: 12.2 million live sessions were suspended for breaking community rules.
- Followers: 57.2 million fake followers were removed, many tied to inauthentic or automated mechanisms.
TikTok reinforced its stance against artificial popularity boosts, emphasizing that all fraudulent likes, followers, and follow requests were promptly identified and deleted.
Decline in Ad Violations
The platform reported a drop in ad removals during Q3 2024, with 1.9 million ads deleted for violating advertising policies, compared to 2.2 million in Q2.
“Advertiser accounts and content must align with our Community Guidelines, Advertising Policies, and Terms of Service,” TikTok explained. “We are continually refining our systems to detect and remove non-compliant ads efficiently.”
Growing Global Scrutiny
Despite its enforcement efforts, TikTok continues to face significant challenges from regulators and governments worldwide over its content and platform practices.
- In October 2024, 13 U.S. states and the District of Columbia filed lawsuits accusing TikTok of failing to protect young users.
- The lawsuits allege that TikTok exploits children’s vulnerabilities to increase user engagement and profits. Filed in New York, California, and other states, they call for financial penalties and stricter regulatory oversight.
The lawsuits also claim TikTok’s algorithms are designed to keep users, especially children, addicted, sparking concerns about mental health and content moderation effectiveness.
As TikTok navigates increasing legal and regulatory scrutiny, its ongoing enforcement measures highlight its commitment to addressing harmful behaviors. However, critics argue that more systemic changes are needed to align user safety with the platform’s growth objectives.