Sensitive and Mature Themes
Last updated, March 2023
TikTok provides content that ranges from very family friendly to more mature. Given the diversity of our global community, developmental and cultural considerations inform our approach to potentially sensitive and more mature content that may be considered offensive by some. To honor our principle of respecting local context and not imposing the norms of one country on another, some of the exceptions to the guidelines in this section differ across regions.
Sexual Activity and Services
TikTok is a place where people can come to discuss or learn about sexuality, sex or reproductive health. We are mindful that certain content may not be appropriate for young people, may be considered offensive by some, or may create the potential for exploitation. We do not allow sexual activity or services. This includes sex, sexual arousal, fetish and kink behavior, and seeking or offering sexual services. However, it does not include reproductive health and sex education content.
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Sexual activity includes sex, sexual arousal, and fetish and kink behavior.
Fetish and kink behavior includes BDSM (bondage, discipline, domination, submission, sadism, and masochism), and sexual behaviors with non-human objects or with specific body parts (such as a foot fetish).
Reproductive health refers to physical, mental and social well-being in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes.
Sex education refers to a broad variety of topics related to sex, sexuality, sexual health, and relationships.
NOT allowed
- Penetrative sex, non-penetrative sex, and oral sex
- Physical sexual arousal, including sexual stimulation and physical responses to sexual arousal
- Fetish and kink activity
- Sexual services, including offering or asking for sexual services (solicitation), sexual chats, imagery, pornography, member exclusive content, and streaming of adult content through a webcam, such as stripping, nude modeling, and masturbation (sexcamming)
- Sexual chats, imagery, and pornography
- Member exclusive content and streaming of adult content through a webcam, such as stripping, nude modeling, and masturbation (sexcamming)
Allowed
- Reproductive health and sex education content, such as the use of birth control and abortion discussed in an medical way
Nudity and Body Exposure
We celebrate all shapes and sizes and want people to feel comfortable in how they present themselves and their bodies. We understand societies approach body exposure and clothing differently, so we seek to reflect prevailing cultural norms about nudity. We do not allow nudity, including uncovered genitals and buttocks, as well as nipples and areolas of women and girls. Sheer and partially see-through clothing is not considered covered. We allow regional exceptions for showing nipples and areolas in limited situations, such as medical treatment, educational purposes, or as a part of culturally accepted practices.
Not all young people have the developmental maturity to respond to unwanted physical attention and uninvited sexualization, which may lead to psychological or physical harm. We do not allow significant body exposure of young people.
Content is age-restricted if it shows significant body exposure of an adult. Content is ineligible for the FYF if it shows moderate body exposure of a young person, or significant body exposure of an adult. We allow regional exceptions for body exposure in limited situations, such as common cultural practices.
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Nudity is showing intimate body parts that prevailing cultural norms indicate should be fully covered. This currently includes bare genitals and buttocks of anyone, as well as nipples and areolas of women and girls. It does not apply to nipples and areolas of men and boys (including those who are transgender or intersex), or people who are non-binary. We recognize that there are individuals who do not describe their gender in binary terms, and acknowledge the complexity of applying this policy. We start by looking at how someone self-describes using first-party information and indicators, such as captions, hashtags, and bio, and then may also look at how the person presents.
Significant body exposure includes showing part of the pubic area and buttocks, or implied nudity, such as using an object to cover nude genitalia. For young people, it also includes wearing minimal clothing, such as only underwear.
Moderate body exposure includes showing the visible outline of covered genitalia, nipples through clothing, and exposed skin near an intimate body part, such as a part of a breast and the upper part of the thigh.
NOT allowed
- Nudity of adults, including photography and digitally created images such as manga and anime
- Nudity of young people, including visual fine art, objects, photography, and digitally created images such as manga and anime (learn more about CSAM in Youth Exploitation)
- Significant body exposure of young people
Age-restricted (18 years and older)
- Significant body exposure of adults
FYF ineligible
- Significant body exposure of adults
- Moderate body exposure of young people
Allowed
- Non-sexualized content showing areolas or nipples of:
- infants or toddlers
- girls or women in medical contexts, for educational purposes, or as a part of a culturally accepted practice, such as indigenous populations who do not traditionally wear top coverings
- women in culturally expected contexts, such as breastfeeding and chestfeeding, at political protests, or at large celebration festivals such as Carnival
- Areolas and nipples of men and boys (including those who are transgender or intersex), or people who are non-binary
- Body exposure that appears in culturally expected contexts, such as athletes wearing sports apparel and swimsuits at a beach or festival
Sexually Suggestive Content
We welcome performances and dances where people can creatively express themselves, celebrate their culture, or seek to entertain. We are mindful that certain behaviors related to sexual arousal or suggestiveness may be offensive to some people and may put young people at risk of exploitation. We do not allow seductive performances or allusions to sexual activity by young people, or the use of sexually explicit narratives by anyone. We do allow some artistic content with sexual references, such as song lyrics.
Content is age-restricted if it shows seductive performances or sexualized posing by adults, or allusions to sexual activity by adults. Content is ineligible for the FYF if it shows sex products or intends to sexually arouse (such as intimate kissing, sexualized posing, and seductive performances or allusions to sexual activity by adults).
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Intent is referenced to be clear that other people finding you sexually arousing is not against the rules. However, we also acknowledge intent can be subjective. To help us understand it, we use objective indicators such as captions, hashtags, bio, and sounds. We also recognize that different regions have varying views on what is considered sexually suggestive, which further informs our assessment.
Seductive performances involve certain body movements that are intended to be sexually arousing, such as undressing (stripteases), pelvic thrusting, breast shaking, and fondling.
Sexualized posing is behavior with the intent to sexually arouse, through a combination of: (1) emphasizing intimate body parts, such as by zooming in on genitals, or using hands to frame breasts; and (2) overt sexual expressions, including suggestive captions (such as “do you like what you see?”).
Allusion to sexual activity is behavior with the intent to call to mind sexual activity, including imitating sexual acts (such as licking a phallic-shaped object), sounds (such as moaning), and facial expressions (such as an “O” face to mimic an orgasm).
NOT allowed
- Sexually explicit narratives, such as vivid descriptions of sexual acts
- Seductive performances by young people
- Allusions to sexual activity by young people
Age-restricted (18 years and older)
- Seductive performances by adults
- Sexualized posing by adults
- Allusions to sexual activity by adults
FYF ineligible
- Sex products, such as sex toys
- Intimate kissing
- Sexualized posing
- Seductive performances by adults
- Allusions to sexual activity by adults
Allowed
- Sexually explicit narratives in some artistic contents, such as song lyrics
Shocking and Graphic Content
Part of the joy of TikTok is coming across new and unexpected content. But the platform is not a place to intentionally shock, upset, or disgust others. We recognize this type of content may be triggering, cause psychological harm, or lead to extreme discomfort. We do not allow gory, gruesome, disturbing, or extremely violent content.
Content is age-restricted if it shows human or animal blood. Content is ineligible for the FYF if it shows fictional violence, blood, potentially distressing or mildly graphic material, animal genitalia or sexual activity between animals. Content is also ineligible for the FYF if it contains graphic footage of events that are in the public interest to view.
To help you manage your TikTok experience, we also apply an “opt-in” screen or warning information to some content, such as human or animal blood, wild animals attacking each other, professional fighting, and potentially distressing or mildly graphic material.
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NOT allowed
- Real-world torture, graphic violence, and extreme physical fighting
- Graphic deaths and accidents
- Body parts that are dismembered, mutilated, charred, burned, or severely injured
Age-restricted (18 years and older)
- Blood of humans and animals
FYF ineligible
- Graphic or potentially distressing footage of events in the public interest to view, such as clashes with law enforcement and the aftermath of a bombing or natural disaster
- Fictional graphicviolence and extreme physical fighting
- Blood of humans and animals
- Potentially distressing material that may cause anxiety or fear, such as showing non-severe injuries and accidents, dead animals, jump scare effects, and gory make-up
- Mildly graphic material that may cause disgust, such as human and animal bodily functions and fluids (such as urine or vomit), and close-ups of organs and certain animals (such as insects, rats)
- Genitalia and sexual activity of animals
Allowed
- Professional fighting, such as boxing and mixed martial arts
- Blood shown in an educational context (such as menstruation) and artistic settings (such as fine art)
- Food-related blood products, such as blood sausage, blood/black pudding, curd, and cake
Animal Abuse
We want our platform to be a place that respects animals and celebrates the ways that they enrich our lives across different cultures and regions. We do not allow animal abuse, cruelty, neglect, trade, or other forms of animal exploitation.
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NOT allowed
- Slaughtering, mutilating, and abusing animals, including staged animal fighting
- Mistreatment and neglect of animals, such as malnourishment
- Animal body parts that are dismembered, mutilated, charred, burned, or severely injured
- Wildlife hunting without clear legal permission (poaching)
- Sexual activity between an animal and a human (bestiality)
- Facilitation of trade of all live animals, and any part of an endangered animal, such as products and medicine made from elephant ivory, tiger bones, rhino horns, and sea turtle shells
Allowed
- Food-related animal body parts, such as barbecued chicken legs
- Educational and documentary content that raises awareness about animal abuse (as long as it does not include graphic content of animal abuse)