Chinese video editing software TikTok is reportedly restricting livestreams to viewers aged 18 and up in order to keep minors away from adult content. According to TechCrunch, the new user setting is currently being tested with a small group of users.
During the testing period, select users can toggle the "mature themes" button to limit their livestreaming to adults only. If you enable it, the platform states that "only viewers 18 and up can see your LIVE."
Once enabled, TikTok will notify the user that LIVE videos tagged 18+ will still be removed if they violate community guidelines. TikTok recently announced that it was working on a system to identify and restrict certain types of content from being accessed by teenagers.
"We've heard directly from our creators that they sometimes have a desire to only reach a specific older audience. So, as an example, maybe they're creating a comedy that has adult humor, or offering kind of boring workplace tips that are relevant only to adults. Or maybe they're talking about very difficult life experiences," said Tracy Elizabeth, TikTok's US Head of Issue Policy.