TikTok allows users to post short videos for their followers and the wider TikTok community to view. However, sometimes users want to prevent specific people, such as ex-partners, bullies, or abusive users, from being able to view their videos.
The goal of blocking someone on TikTok is to prevent that user from being able to view, comment on, or interact with your videos. Blocking can be an important tool to gain more control over your privacy and feel safer sharing videos publicly.
This article will explain how to block individual users as well as how to use hashtags, keywords, private accounts and other privacy settings to prevent unwanted people from seeing your TikTok videos.
Why Block Someone
One of the main reasons users may want to block someone on TikTok is to avoid harassment or bullying. According to CyberSmile, bullying is a major issue, especially for younger users. TikTok has also acknowledged bullying as a problem on their platform and provides tools to prevent it (TikTok Bullying Prevention). If a user is repeatedly sending hurtful or threatening messages, it’s best to block them. Blocking bullies prevents them from contacting you or seeing your videos in the future. This removes their access and stops the harassment.
Who Can Be Blocked
There are a few different things that can be blocked on TikTok:
Individual Users
You can block individual TikTok users from viewing your account, commenting on your videos, duetting with you, reacting to your content, and more. Once blocked, that user will no longer be able to interact with your profile in any way.
To block an individual user, go to their profile page and tap the three dots in the top right corner. Select “Block” and confirm your choice. You can also block someone who has commented on your content by tapping the three dots next to their comment and selecting “Block” (TikTok Help Center).
Hashtags and Keywords
TikTok allows you to block specific hashtags and keywords from appearing on your For You feed. This can be useful for filtering out content you don’t wish to see.
To block hashtags or keywords, go to your profile, tap the three lines menu icon, select “Digital Wellbeing,” then “Content Controls.” Tap “Hashtags and keywords” to add terms you want to block (MakeUseOf).
Blocking a hashtag or keyword prevents videos using those terms from showing up in your For You page and search results. However, it does not prevent people from viewing your videos or interacting with your account if they find your content another way.
Blocking Individual Users
You can block individual TikTok users from interacting with your account and seeing your content. Here are the steps to block someone on TikTok:
On the mobile app:
- Go to the profile of the person you want to block.
- Tap the three dots in the upper right corner.
- Select “Block” from the menu.
- Confirm that you want to block the user.
On desktop:
- Go to the profile of the person you want to block.
- Click the three dots next to “Follow” button.
- Select “Block” from the dropdown menu.
- Confirm that you want to block the user.
Once blocked, the user will no longer be able to view your videos or interact with your profile. Blocking is one-sided, so you will still be able to see their content unless they also block you.
To unblock a user, go to their profile and select “Unblock.” This will allow them to view your videos and interact with your account again.
Blocking Hashtags and Keywords
TikTok allows users to block specific hashtags and keywords from appearing in their feeds. Here is the process to block hashtags or keywords on TikTok:
1. Open the TikTok app and tap on the profile icon on the bottom right. Then select “Settings and privacy.”
2. Under “Privacy,” tap on “Filter hashtags.”
3. Tap “Add hashtags” and type in the hashtags or keywords you want to block. You can add multiple by separating them with commas.
4. Once you have added all the hashtags and keywords to block, tap “Submit.”
TikTok notes that blocking a hashtag or keyword will prevent videos with that hashtag or keyword from appearing in your Following and For You feeds. However, it does not completely prevent you from seeing the blocked hashtag or keyword on the app (TikTok).
To unblock a hashtag or keyword, go back to the “Filter hashtags” screen and tap the “X” icon next to the hashtag or keyword you want to unblock.
Limits of Blocking
While blocking users on TikTok can prevent them from interacting with you, there are some limitations to be aware of:
Blocked users can still see your videos and profile from another account. According to TikTok’s support page, “Blocking an account prevents that account from interacting with you. However, that account may still be able to view your public videos and your profile information.” [1]
You are limited in how many accounts you can block per day. TikTok does not disclose the exact daily blocking limit, but most users report being able to block around 100-200 accounts per day before being temporarily blocked from blocking more. [2]
Blocking hashtags and keywords is limited. While you can block specific hashtags and keywords to filter search results, there are workarounds like slightly misspelling a blocked hashtag that can allow unwanted content to slip through. Blocking hashtags and keywords only prevents you from seeing them, not other users from posting them.
In summary, blocking on TikTok prevents direct interactions but does not completely hide your content from blocked users or allow extensive filtering of the platform’s content. Other privacy settings may need to be used as well to limit unwanted contact and visibility.
Making an Account Private
One way to limit who can view your videos on TikTok is to make your account private. With a private account, only followers you approve can see your videos (TikTok Support). This gives you more control over who your audience is.
To make an account private, go to your profile and tap the three-dot menu icon. Then select “Privacy and safety” and toggle on “Private account.” Users will then have to request to follow you, and you can approve or deny each request.
Private accounts are helpful for limiting unwanted attention or comments. This allows you to create content just for people you accept as followers. Note that even with a private account, your profile information and videos could still potentially be discovered by someone determined.
Using Multiple Accounts
Some TikTok users choose to manage multiple accounts for different audiences or content themes. For example, a user may have one account for funny videos, another for dance videos, and a third for product reviews. This allows them to segment their content and followers based on interests.
To manage multiple accounts on one device, users can log in and out of each account either through the settings menu or by adding accounts in the profile tab and switching between them. TikTok allows up to 3 accounts to be logged in at the same time on one device [1]. Switching accounts is quick and easy by tapping your profile icon and selecting the account you want to switch to [2].
Running multiple accounts concurrently does not seem to violate TikTok’s terms, as long as each account follows community guidelines. However, accounts should avoid coordinated cross-promotion or interaction, as that could appear manipulative [3].
Additional Privacy Settings
Beyond making an account private, TikTok offers additional privacy settings to control your experience on the platform:
- Comment filtering – You can filter comments by keyword so any comments containing those words will be held for review before posting. This allows you to avoid unwanted or abusive comments. See Managing filters for comments for details.
- Account reporting – If you encounter harassment, bullying, or other concerning behavior, you can report a user or specific content to TikTok for review. Reporting helps maintain community guidelines. Learn how to report a problem.
- Direct messaging controls – Adjust settings for who can message you directly or choose to disable direct messaging entirely. This prevents unwanted contact. See Managing messages for how to configure.
- Liked video privacy – Make your liked videos private so only you can see the content you’ve liked. This prevents others from judging based on your likes. Enable this under Privacy settings.
Using tools like these can help shape the experience you want to have on TikTok and protect your privacy.
Conclusion
TikTok offers various options for blocking other users from seeing your videos and interacting with your account. The main ways to block people are:
- Blocking individual users from viewing your profile or content
- Blocking hashtags and keywords to prevent your videos from showing up in certain feeds
- Making your account private so only approved followers can see your posts
- Using multiple TikTok accounts to separate audiences
Blocking is useful but has limits. Users may still see your content if shared by others or if they create a new account. For full privacy control, utilize all available settings like restricting duets/stitches, comments, downloads, etc. Evaluate your comfort level for sharing content publicly on a case-by-case basis.