Accounts and Features
Last updated, March 2023
Accounts
You must be 13 years and older to have an account. There are additional age limitations based on local law in some regions. In the United States, there is a separate under 13 TikTok experience, which provides a more limited experience designed with additional safety protections and a dedicated Privacy Policy. If we learn someone is below the minimum age on TikTok, we will ban that account.
Violating our guidelines can lead to enforcement actions on accounts. We will ban accounts or users if they engage in: (1) a single severe content violation, (2) repeated content violations within a 90-day period, (3) circumvention, or (4) the operation of accounts dedicated to activity that violates our rules. This includes all activities that indicate a primary purpose that is not allowed on our platform, such as accounts focused on hate speech, the trade of prohibited goods, spam, and impersonation (learn more about circumvention and dedicated accounts in Spam and Deceptive Account Behaviors).
We will also ban an account if we become aware that the account holder is a violent or hateful actor or has been convicted of a sexual crime or other serious offense against a young person. We may consider off-platform activity related to violence, hate, and child sexual exploitation and abuse to help make decisions about these account bans. We report accounts to law enforcement authorities if there is a specific, credible, and imminent threat to human life or serious physical injury.
Repeatedly posting content that is allowed on our platform but not eligible for the FYF may lead to the account and its content being harder to find in search. Learn more about our general approach to account enforcement.
Government, Politician, and News Accounts
Governments, politicians, and news entities all play important roles in civic processes and civil society. While we treat their content just like any other account and remove violations, we approach account-level enforcement differently to align with our commitment to human rights and free expression. These public interest accounts will be banned for any single severe content violation, such as threatening violence. For repeated content violations that are less severe, they will be temporarily ineligible to appear in the FYF and in the feeds of their followers. In limited circumstances, they may also be temporarily restricted from posting new content. Learn more about our approach to public interest accounts.
More information
Governments and politicians include federal/national elected officials and candidates, state/provincial/territorial/local government entities, cabinet ministers, and official spokespeople. Learn more about who is considered to be a Government, Politician and Political Party account.
News entities include organizations primarily dedicated to publishing news content to inform or educate. To qualify as a news account, the account must be legally licensed, certified or recognized by an intergovernmental organization, regulator, or reputable press organization.
Severe violations include the following:
- Showing, promoting, or facilitating youth exploitation and child sexual abuse material (CSAM)
- Promoting or threatening violence
- Showing or promoting non-consensual sex acts, such as rape and molestation
- Facilitating human trafficking
- Showing real-world torture
- Using another account after a permanent account ban, and continuing to violate our guidelines
External Links
Our community members often share links in their profile, bio, or content to connect people to additional content or to other sites. While some links may be helpful or informative, others connect to harmful content that would not be allowed on our platform. Do not post links that direct people to content that would violate our guidelines. If we find a link in violation of our guidelines, it will result in the link being removed or an account ban.
It can be difficult to determine where a Quick Response (QR) code image may lead to and whether the connected content will be safe. Content is ineligible for the FYF if it contains QR codes, unless there is a low risk of harm, such as in the context of e-commerce.
Comments and Direct Messages
Comments and direct messages on TikTok allow our users to interact with videos or directly with others, and provide an integral interactive experience to the platform. You must be 16 years and older to use direct messages.
Our guidelines listed above also apply to comments and messages. A violation of our rules will result in the removal of the content or a restriction on sending direct messages, and may lead to an account ban.
TikTok LIVE
TikTok LIVE allows our community to interact in real-time. To bolster a safe experience on LIVE, we have a higher minimum age threshold for this feature. You must be 18 years and older to go LIVE, and to send gifts to a creator during a LIVE session.
Our guidelines listed above also apply to going LIVE. A violation of our rules will result in closing an ongoing LIVE session, and may lead to restrictions on using LIVE or an account ban. Repeatedly livestreaming content that is ineligible for the FYF may result in your account not being eligible for the FYF or being harder to find in search.
Monetization
We offer tools that let creators monetize their content, and that give businesses the ability to operate and expand their enterprise. You must be 18 years and older to use monetization features.
Accounts must satisfy the relevant entry criteria to be eligible for our monetization features. A violation of our rules may result in a temporary restriction of monetization features, and repeated violations will lead to a permanent restriction or an account ban. Content that is not eligible in the FYF may be restricted from monetization features.
All commercial content on our platform must comply with the relevant monetized feature policy, such as the Branded Content Policy, TikTok’s Ads Creative Policy, Industry Entry Policy, and TikTok Shop Policies. Commercial content includes exchanging something of value between creators, a third party and creator (such as Branded Content), a creator and business (such as e-commerce), or a creator and TikTok (such as the Creator fund).