TikTok: Two standards for big accounts  

They are more lenient on large accounts

A report by Forbes reveals that TikTok has adopted a two-speed management system for accounts on the platform. According to this, large accounts with more than 5 million followers are treated differently from the rest. In particular, when it comes to content control and restriction, celebrities enter a different management system that is much more lenient than the rest of us…common mortals.

We do not want to treat these users like any other account. There is more leniency I would say. – TikTok Trust and Safety Officer

TikTok’s terms of use state that its rules ” apply to everyone and everything “, while a TikTok representative told Forbes that ” they are not more lenient in managing accounts with more than 5 million followers “, adding that management does not change based on number of followers.

However, double standard on social media is nothing new. In 2021, the Wall Street Journal revealed that Meta’s XCheck system allowed high-profile Facebook and Instagram accounts to bend their rules. In one incident, the system blocked Facebook moderators from removing photos uploaded by soccer player Neymar, which depicted a woman naked who accused him of sexual assault. The post already had 60 million views before Meta took it down when the issue escalated. Furthermore, even though Neymar’s account flagrantly violated Facebook’s rules, he was not removed by the company.