TikTok Raises Min. Age For Live-Streaming To 18 But Won’t Show ‘Adult Content’

TikTok seems to be growing up along with its core and target audience. The insanely popular video-sharing platform has now raised the minimum age required to be a part of the platform. TikTok is mandating users must be adults over 18 if they want to watch or launch live TikTok broadcasts. But this does not mean TikTok will offer "adult content".

TikTok To Allow Mature Content But Isn't Turning Into OnlyFans

TikTok is raising the age requirement for hosting "TikTok Live" streams on its platform to 18. The platform is planning to allow adult-only live streams. The decision might suggest TikTok is attempting to ride the wave of adult content. However, that's not the case.

TikTok is not turning into OnlyFans. In fact, the platform seems to be acknowledging the fact that its audience is growing. TikTok seems to be building a platform that's suitable for an audience who has a mature mind.

In TikTok's case, adult content refers to content that can be accepted, understood, and, discussed by adults. TikTok has clarified that its new 18+ age restriction is for live streams only. And the age restriction isn't an indirect green signal for users to broadcast or consume adult content.

TikTok Community Guidelines For Censoring Adult Content Stays Unchanged

All the content on TikTok is governed and regulated by the platform's policy, called Community Guidelines. This policy has not changed. In other words, TikTok hasn't amended its policy to let content creators live-stream adult content. Attempting to explain its reasoning, TikTok stated:

"All content, even if designated as better suited for those over 18, must adhere to our community guidelines. Perhaps a comedy routine is better suited for people over the age of 18. Or, a host may plan to talk about a difficult life experience and they would feel more comfortable knowing the conversation is limited to adults."

TikTok's Community Guidelines explicitly ban adult content on the platform:

"We do not allow nudity, pornography, or sexually explicit content."

TikTok claims its current moderation policies and methods will remain unchanged as well. The platform claims it uses a combination of human moderators and machines to enforce the guidelines.

The adults-only streams are just one more form of content deployment tactics for TikTok. It seems the platform intends to cater to a diverse group of audience and wants to ensure that kids aren't exposed to sensitive or adult-only topics and discussions.

As per the current policy, TikTok content creators with a minimum of 1,000 followers, and older than 16, can stream live. Come November 23, the age limit will go up to 18. The rest of the policies and guidelines stay the same.