TikTok Bans Some Deepfakes Amid Security Concerns

TikTok on Tuesday announced a ban on some deepfake videos as part of a refresh of its community guidelines that comes as the Chinese-owned video-sharing app faces a possible ban in the US over security and privacy concerns.

The new rules were introduced just days before TikTok’s CEO is scheduled to testify before Congress this week. Shou Chew is set to appear in front of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday to speak about TikTok’s privacy and data practices.

Chew said in a TikTok video on Tuesday that the hearing “comes at a pivotal moment” for the company. “Some politicians have started talking about banning TikTok,” said Chew in the TikTok, “[and] this could take away TikTok from all 150 million of you.” Chew said he plans to tell the House committee “all that we are doing to protect Americans using the app.” 

Central to the updates TikTok introduced Tuesday is the issue of posting deepfakes, which use artificial intelligence to manipulate video and audio are make it seem like someone is saying or doing something that they’re not. TikTok’s new rules now require…