What Happens When You Report Someone on TikTok
When you report someone or something on TikTok, you are submitting a complaint to TikTok’s moderation team for review. This initiates TikTok’s formal reporting process.
To report a video, account, comment, or other content on TikTok, tap the “Share” icon on the content and select “Report”. You will then be presented with options for why you are reporting, such as nudity, harassment, suicide, dangerous acts, etc. Select the appropriate category for your report and submit it.
Once submitted, your report goes to TikTok’s Community Operations team for review. According to TikTok, “Multiple teams will review your report and take appropriate action” [1]. If they find the content violates TikTok’s Community Guidelines, they may remove the content or suspend the account.
However, submitting a report does not guarantee the content or account will be taken down. TikTok reviews each report to determine if it actually violates their rules before taking action. You will not receive notification about the specific outcome of your report, but can see if content you reported was removed.
The reporting process is intended to identify and eliminate harmful, dangerous, or inappropriate content on TikTok. By submitting reports, users help make the platform safer and more positive for everyone.
Why You Might Want to Report Someone
There are several reasons you may need to report a TikTok user, including:
Harassment or bullying: If another user is repeatedly posting hurtful, offensive, or abusive comments on your videos or is sending you harassing messages or comments, you can report them for bullying or harassment. This includes any threats, sexual harassment, hate speech, or revealing private information about you without consent.
Spam: Spam accounts often repeatedly post unrelated or inappropriate comments to promote products, websites, or scams. Reporting spam helps keep TikTok conversations relevant and useful.
Impersonation: If another account is pretending to be you or someone else you know, like a celebrity or public figure, you can report them for impersonation. TikTok does not allow accounts that misrepresent themselves as other people.
Dangerous acts or content: You can report any videos promoting dangerous or illegal behavior like violence, drug use, self-harm, or dangerous stunts. This helps protect the TikTok community.
Violations of community guidelines: Any content that appears to violate TikTok’s Community Guidelines should be reported so it can be reviewed and removed if necessary. This includes nudity, illegal activities, hate speech, and more.
Reporting harmful, inappropriate, or policy-breaking content helps make TikTok a safe and enjoyable platform for everyone.
TikTok has strict guidelines on permissible content. The Community Guidelines outline what type of content can and can’t be posted on the platform. Users are encouraged to report any content that violates these guidelines.
What Types of Content Can Be Reported
Some of the major categories of content violations that can be reported on TikTok include:
- Nudity and sexual content – Videos depicting nudity, pornography, or sexually explicit content.
- Violence – Content showing graphic violence, assault, animal abuse, or dangerous threats.
- Illegal activities – Promoting or glorifying criminal activities like drug use or distribution.
- Hate speech – Using speech to attack or discriminate against an individual or group based on attributes like race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
- Harassment or bullying – Repeated hostile behavior meant to intimidate, degrade, or harm another user.
- Impersonation – Pretending to be another person or brand in a misleading way.
Any video, comment, or account that promotes this type of violating content can and should be reported so TikTok can take appropriate action. This helps keep the platform safe and positive.
Will Your Account Be Identified When Reporting
TikTok takes privacy and security very seriously, so when you report someone’s content or account, your identity remains anonymous and confidential. According to TikTok’s Reporting guidelines, “If you decide to report, you can feel safe knowing that TikTok will not disclose your identity to the person whose content or account you’re reporting.”
This policy helps users feel comfortable reporting inappropriate content without fear of retaliation. TikTok never reveals the identity of the person submitting a report to the user who is being reported. You can report content on TikTok without the reported account ever knowing that you were the one who flagged them.
Some other social media platforms also keep reporters anonymous, as it encourages reporting of policy violations that help keep the platform and community safe. On TikTok, you can report with confidence, knowing your account remains anonymous throughout the reporting process.
What Happens to the Reported Account
When you report an account on TikTok, the content you flagged will be reviewed by TikTok’s moderation team against their Community Guidelines. If the content is found to violate the guidelines, TikTok may take one or more of the following actions:
Remove the violating content – TikTok may remove the specific video, comment, etc. that was reported, but leave the account active.
Temporarily suspend the account – For more serious or repeated violations, TikTok may temporarily suspend the account from posting, commenting, or other activities.
Permanently ban the account – In cases of severe, repeated, or dangerous violations, TikTok may permanently ban the account from the platform.
According to TikTok’s guidelines, the consequences will escalate based on the severity of the violation. Minor first-time offenses may just get content removed, while serious or repeated offenses can lead to suspensions or permanent bans. The goal is to curb abuse while avoiding overly punishing users for minor mistakes.
It’s important to note that submitting a report does not guarantee the account will be taken down. TikTok reviews each report before deciding on a course of action that follows their policies. The outcome depends on the type and severity of violation.
False Reporting Consequences
Falsely reporting accounts on TikTok can lead to consequences for the person making the false reports. TikTok’s community guidelines state that intentionally submitting misleading or fraudulent reports may result in liability for damages under the laws of applicable countries.
For example, according to TikTok’s support article on trademark and counterfeiting, “If you intentionally submit a misleading or fraudulent report, it may lead to liability for damages under laws in applicable countries.”
There are reports on Reddit of people receiving account restrictions or temporary bans from TikTok after repeatedly making false or exaggerated reports against others, especially competitors or critics (source). While TikTok does not publish details on penalties for false reporting, abusing the reporting system can clearly backfire.
The best practice is to only report content that legitimately violates TikTok’s guidelines. Falsely reporting others may not achieve the desired result and could put your own account at risk.
Appealing Blocked or Banned Accounts
If your TikTok account gets banned, you can appeal the ban through TikTok’s appeals process. According to TikTok’s Help Center, “If you believe we made a mistake, you may submit an appeal.”
To submit an appeal, go to the Appeals page in your TikTok account settings. You’ll need to provide your name, email, phone number, and user ID. Then explain why you think your account was banned incorrectly.
TikTok reviews all appeals and aims to respond within 24 hours. However, the appeals process can take longer if they need to further investigate your case.
If your appeal is approved, your account and videos will be restored. If it’s denied, your account will remain banned. You can submit another appeal, but TikTok may ignore duplicate appeals.
According to TikTok’s Help Center, “What happens after your TikTok account has been banned. If your account is banned for being underage but you’re now old enough per our Terms of Service, you may appeal the ban.” So underage users who have since turned 13 can appeal a ban due to age at the time the account was created.
The appeals process is currently the only way to contest a ban and try to regain access to a blocked or banned TikTok account.
Avoiding Getting Your Own Content Taken Down
The best way to avoid getting your own content taken down on TikTok is to ensure you are following the platform’s community guidelines. Some key tips include:
– Don’t upload pirated or copyrighted content. Only post original videos you created yourself or have explicit permission to share.
– Avoid nudity, pornography, or sexually suggestive content.
– Don’t promote violence, illegal activities, or dangerous behavior in your videos.
– Don’t bully, harass, or threaten others in your videos or comments.
– Be mindful of what you say and show, as hate speech, graphic content, and dangerous acts are prohibited.
– Respect privacy and don’t share personal information without consent.
– Abide by all local laws when creating content.
Staying within the community guidelines will help prevent your account or specific videos from being removed. But even if you follow all the rules, TikTok may sometimes make moderation mistakes or errors. If you believe your content was wrongly taken down, you can appeal the decision through TikTok’s dispute process.
When to Contact Law Enforcement
In some cases, the behavior of a TikTok user may cross the line from annoying or abusive to illegal. TikTok has published guidelines on when and how to contact law enforcement regarding threats made on the platform.
You should contact law enforcement right away if you experience the following on TikTok:
- Direct threats of violence against you or others
- A predator soliciting minors for inappropriate content or contact
- Promotion of dangerous or illegal challenges that could result in injury or death
- Evidence of a crime being committed, such as assault, theft, or vandalism
TikTok has an online form where law enforcement officials can formally request information from TikTok to aid an active investigation. This includes account information, direct messages, videos, user reports, and more. Law enforcement officials can also contact TikTok by phone or email as outlined in their guidelines.
While TikTok aims to cooperate fully with valid law enforcement investigations, the platform cannot take action on accounts without an official request. So if you experience immediate threats, contact your local authorities right away.
Tips for Staying Safe on TikTok
Here are some tips to help you or your child stay safe while using TikTok:
Enable privacy settings – Go to your profile, tap the 3 dots icon, tap “Privacy and safety” and enable all privacy settings like private account, restrict comments, restrict Duets etc. This prevents unwanted interactions.
Use blocking judiciously – Block users who make inappropriate comments or constantly bother you. Tap their username, tap the 3 dots icon and select “Block” to block them.
Set screen time limits – Use device parental controls to limit TikTok time and prevent late night usage. Also set Digital Wellbeing screen time limits on the app.
Monitor your child’s account – Make sure your child’s account is set to private. Regularly check their videos, likes, comments and followers to ensure safety.
Educate on appropriate content – Advise your child to avoid sharing personal info, location, school etc. Also tell them to avoid trending dares or challenges without understanding associated risks.
Report problematic content – Use the in-app reporting feature to report inappropriate videos, users, comments etc. TikTok moderates these reports.
Take breaks – Spending too much time on the app can negatively impact mental health. Encourage taking regular breaks from scrolling.
Stay involved – Have open conversations on using TikTok responsibly. Let them know they can approach you for any concerns.
Overall, enabling privacy settings, monitoring your child’s activity, educating on proper usage and reporting objectionable content can help maintain safety on TikTok.
