TikTok is preparing an update to its Community Guidelines, which dictate the rules for participating on the social video platform as well as what standards the company uses to determine the videos that make it onto its For You feed. While the update largely rewrites the original text for simplicity’s sake, there are a few items that jump out in the new revision — notably how TikTok prioritizes its marketplace, how deeply it personalizes the experience per user, and a small change to the type of AI-generated content that’s permitted.
Today, social media companies have to comply with a range of regulations globally, like the U.K.’s Online Safety Act (OSA), the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), and the U.S.’s TAKE IT DOWN Act, which in part has led to policy revisions on some platforms, as with yesterday’s update to Bluesky.
TikTok’s changes, which go live on September 13, 2025, are not as substantial, as it appears the company was often just rewriting text for clarity.
However, one section that saw several additions in the updated guidelines covers the rules for TikTok LIVE creators.
The company warns creators they’re responsible for anything that happens on their live session, even if it involves third-party tools, like real-time translation or voice-to-text tools to read out viewers’ comments. TikTok advises creators to monitor those tools to make sure they’re not violating the rules through these third-party services.
Another notable addition to this section introduces new guidelines for commercial content.
TikTok stresses that commercial content must be disclosed. It also directly states that it will reduce the visibility of content that directs users to “purchase products off-platform in markets where TikTok Shop is available.”
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The company also says it’s customizing users’ search results.
While the prior version of the guidelines sa …