With over 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. Given its huge userbase, it’s common for users to come across videos from other accounts that they don’t want to see anymore for various reasons.
This guide will provide an overview of the different ways TikTok allows you to stop seeing someone’s videos on your For You feed. We’ll go over options like unfollowing, blocking, restricting, clearing watch history, using TikTok’s settings, and reporting inappropriate content. The goal is to give TikTok users multiple methods to tailor their feed and experience on the platform.
Understanding TikTok’s Algorithm
TikTok’s main feed, also known as the For You Page (FYP), uses a sophisticated algorithm to determine which videos to show each user. The FYP is tailored to each person based on past viewing history, interests, location, demographics, and more (1).
When a user first joins TikTok, the algorithm has limited data so it shows a variety of popular and trending videos to determine what the user likes. As the user engages with videos by liking, sharing, commenting, etc., the algorithm learns their preferences and refines the FYP to show more relevant content (2).
The FYP aims to keep users engaged so the algorithm prioritizes entertaining, funny, shocking or informative videos likely to get a reaction. Videos that receive high engagement in the first few minutes tend to spread rapidly to a wide audience. Using hashtags and viral sounds also help get videos recommended by the algorithm (3).
TikTok says its goal is to create an “entertaining, genuine, and positive experience” while avoiding harmful content (4). However, the algorithm has faced criticism for sometimes promoting controversial or dangerous challenges and hoaxes.
(1) https://blog.hootsuite.com/tiktok-algorithm/
(2) https://blog.hootsuite.com/tiktok-algorithm/
(3) https://blog.hootsuite.com/tiktok-algorithm/
(4) https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/how-tiktok-recommends-videos-for-you
Unfollowing a User
The easiest way to stop seeing someone’s videos on your For You page is to unfollow their account. When you unfollow someone on TikTok, their content will no longer show up in your main feed. Here’s how to unfollow a user on TikTok:
1. Go to the profile of the user you want to unfollow.
2. Tap the “Following” button below their profile name. This will open their follower list.
3. Tap the “Unfollow” button next to their name to unfollow them.
Once you unfollow someone, their videos will stop popping up on your For You page. However, TikTok’s algorithm is complex so you may occasionally still see their content, especially if it goes viral. But unfollowing is the best way to greatly reduce a specific user’s videos in your feed (source).
Blocking a User
Blocking someone on TikTok prevents them from viewing your profile, videos, likes, and comments. When you block a user, they will no longer be suggested to you by TikTok’s algorithm either. Here’s how to block someone on TikTok:
1. Go to the profile of the user you want to block.
2. Tap the three dots in the upper right corner.
3. Select “Block” from the menu.
4. Confirm that you want to block the user.
Once blocked, the user will no longer be able to find your account or see any of your activity on TikTok. You can also unblock users if you change your mind later. Blocking is a simple way to remove a user from your TikTok experience if you don’t want to see their content.
According to Kenyan Times, “TikTok may display a confirmation message explaining the consequences of blocking someone.” So be prepared to confirm your choice.
Restricting an Account
One way to stop seeing someone’s videos on TikTok is by restricting their account. This prevents the user’s videos, comments, and livestreams from appearing for you in the Following feed or For You Page. To restrict an account:
- Go to the profile of the account you want to restrict.
- Tap the 3-dot menu icon in the top-right corner.
- Select “Restrict this account”.
- Confirm you want to restrict the account.
Once restricted, the account’s content will no longer show up for you while browsing TikTok. You can remove the restriction at any time by going back to the user’s profile and tapping “Remove restriction” (source).
Restricting an account is useful for filtering out content from a particular user you don’t want to see. It’s less severe than blocking someone entirely, since the restricted user won’t be notified and can still see your profile and content.
Using Restricted Mode
Restricted Mode on TikTok filters out content that may be inappropriate or offensive. When Restricted Mode is enabled, TikTok uses technology to identify and hide videos that may contain mature content or themes.
Restricted Mode works by limiting the appearance of content that is flagged by TikTok’s systems and moderators as potentially having mature themes, such as violence, adult content, drugs, etc. Videos that are identified as potentially containing this type of content will not appear for users who have Restricted Mode turned on.
Enabling Restricted Mode can be useful for limiting exposure to sensitive material, especially for younger users on the platform. Parents may choose to turn on Restricted Mode through the app’s settings or Family Pairing feature to control what types of videos their teens are allowed to see in their main feeds and in search results.
Restricted Mode is not foolproof, however. Some content that does not technically violate TikTok’s community guidelines may still get filtered, while some inappropriate videos can potentially slip through. The technology and moderation are not perfect systems. Still, Restricted Mode does provide an extra layer of protection and content filtering for those who want more control over the types of videos surfaced by TikTok’s algorithm.
Overall, TikTok’s Restricted Mode aims to create a more limited, filtered experience on the platform by blocking potentially mature or explicit content from appearing for accounts with this setting enabled. It gives users, especially parents, some ability to curate what kinds of videos are viewable.
Clearing Watch History
Clearing your watch history is the simplest way to stop seeing someone’s videos on your For You page. TikTok keeps track of all the videos you watch in your account’s watch history. This watch history is used to recommend new videos on your For You page using TikTok’s algorithm.
To clear your watch history and stop seeing someone’s videos recommended to you:
- Go to your profile page
- Tap on the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner
- Select “Clear watch history”
Clearing your entire watch history will reset the algorithm and prevent that user’s videos from being recommended again. You can clear watch history on both the iOS and Android apps as well as TikTok’s website. Keep in mind this will also remove videos from other creators you enjoy, so you may need to refollow them.
According to TikTok’s help articles, clearing watch history is currently the only way to fully reset the recommendation algorithm [1]. While you can’t select individual videos to remove, a full reset gives you a fresh start.
Using TikTok’s Settings
One of the main ways to stop seeing someone’s videos on TikTok is by adjusting your account settings. Specifically, you’ll want to look at settings related to managing your recommendations and suggested accounts.
In your account settings under “Recommendations”, you can turn off recommendations for new accounts to follow. This will stop TikTok’s algorithm from suggesting that person’s account in your main “Following” feed if you don’t already follow them. You can also reset your recommendations which clears out the algorithm’s suggestion history (TikTok Account Settings).
Additionally, under “Suggest your account to others”, you can opt out of having your account suggested to other users. This means that person will be less likely to be recommended your account and videos if they don’t already follow you (TikTok Suggested Accounts).
Making use of these account settings is an effective way to have more control over which accounts and content you see on your For You feed and homepage. It allows you to limit that person’s videos from being recommended without having to block or unfollow them.
Reporting Inappropriate Content
If you come across inappropriate, dangerous, or abusive content on TikTok, you can report it to help keep the platform safe. TikTok has clear guidelines on what kind of content is not allowed, and reporting violations is easy to do.
To report a specific video, go to the video page and tap the ‘Share’ icon. Then tap ‘Report’ and select the reason for reporting – for example, nudity, harmful behavior, terrorism, etc. You’ll need to provide some additional details to submit the report.
You can also report a user’s entire account. Go to their profile page, tap the three dots in the top-right corner, choose ‘Report,’ and select your reason for reporting. Provide any extra context that would help TikTok reviewers understand the issue.
According to TikTok’s Community Guidelines, submitting reports helps them identify and remove policy-breaking content quickly. Accounts found posting inappropriate or dangerous content may get banned.
If you see something that puts people’s safety at risk, consider reporting it immediately. TikTok aims to respond to reports and remove violating videos or accounts within 24 hours.
Conclusion
In summary, there are several ways to stop seeing someone’s videos on TikTok if you find their content unwanted or inappropriate:
- Unfollow or block the user directly so their videos no longer show up in your For You feed.
- Restrict their account which limits their content without fully blocking.
- Enable Restricted Mode to filter out mature content.
- Clear your watch history and likes to reset TikTok’s algorithm recommendations.
- Adjust privacy settings to limit viewers for your own videos.
- Report truly problematic videos or accounts that violate TikTok’s community guidelines.
While TikTok’s algorithm heavily influences the content you see, there are ways to curate your feed and block unwanted videos. Using a combination of these methods can help remove someone’s unwanted videos from your TikTok experience.
