TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew told lawmakers Tuesday that the company does not use facial recognition or voice data to identify underage users on its platform. The app, he said, only collects data needed for its in-app AR filters to function. Body and face data is not shared with third parties, and TikTok does not store such information after users remove the app from their devices. Critics of TikTok have long argued that the app is used by minors to produce graphic videos of themselves which they then share online. In response to questioning from Democratic Senator Dick Durbin about whether the company could better vet underage users, Chew offered little explanation as to how TikTok determines age on its platform. However, he did say that body and face data are never shared with third parties and that after a user removes the app from their device such information is destroyed.
Similarly to other social media platforms, age gating is implemented on TikTok so that different content is presented to users based on their age. The app allows under-13s, younger teens, and adults 18+ to have separate experiences with the app. This allows different groups of users to have their own set of videos and content that they can enjoy while not exposing any inappropriate or sensitive material to those who are not supposed to see it.
Online privacy is a big issue for kids. That’s why it’s important to create a safe profile for them on social media, where they can communicate with friends and family. But there are ways to get around Profile Age verification (PAV) features on websites and apps. Here are three methods that kids use to lie about their age:
1. Claim to be over 18 years old: Kids may claim to be older than they actually are in order to gain access to more mature content or avoid having
According to a study, TikTok is looking at more than just the age that’s entered into a text box. The app is also analyzing how long people have been using the app. As it turns out, TikTok is doing more than looking at the age that’s entered into a text box. The app is also analyzing how long people have been using
Platforms like TikTok, which are popular among young people, have been accused of scanning users’ videos to determine their age. This practice is known as “collaborative filtering,” and it’s something that many adults are familiar with because it happens on social media platforms all the time. For example
The Congressman was concerned that the company was using sophisticated tools to analyze citizens’ public profiles in order to determine whether they meet the company’s criteria for approval. He warned that this could have a chilling effect on freedom of speech and privacy rights.
Chew explained that the age restriction on his videos is simply because he wants to make sure that the videos are appropriate for all viewers. He wants to make sure that no one under the age of 18 views a video that may contain mature content. By restricting access to his videos, Chew ensures that everyone who wishes to view his content can do so safely and with discretion.
Privacy versus age assurance is a big problem for the technology industry. This challenge is made more difficult by the fact that people’s privacy preferences and age vary greatly. For example, many younger adults want to keep their personal information private, while older adults may be more comfortable sharing their information online. At the same time, companies need to be sure that their online services are safe for both young children and SENDSeniors who may not recognize warning signs of
According to Reuters, Facebook is donating 20 million Euros (about $24 million) to projects that will research the impact of social media on people’s mental health. This donation comes after recent reports showed an uptick in murders committed by people who have been influenced by watching violent videos online. While it is not clear exactly how Facebook will be using the money, one possibility is that it will be used to study how video content influences mental health.
The senator’s questioning was postponed when an aide came in with news that the president had been hurt in a car accident. The senator quickly left the room to tell the president what was happening.
Some people say that the CEO’s dismissal of age verification as an industry-wide issue is premature. They argue that the technology to implement such a system is already available, and that it would be very simple to implement. Others say that age verification is a difficult issue to solve, and that dismissing it as an industry-wide issue could
Viral challenges like the blackout challenge have allowed children todangerously experiment with their phones, but David Whitehouse believes that there is a more pressing issue at hand. “We’re talking about children dying!” he exclaimed, referencing the dangerous challenges apps like TikTok and others have allowed to viral, like the blackout challenge. “This isn’t about having fun – these apps are putting kids’ lives at risk.” He called on regulators to take action and protect children from these dangers, before it’s too late.
Since social media platforms like TikTok don’t have age verification policies in place, many Middle Eastern and North African companies are using their platforms to market products to children. These companies often have little to no regulations around their marketing practices, making it difficult for parents to monitor what their children are watching.
Given that Instagram is constantly trying to keep its users as safe and aware of their surroundings as possible, it made sense for the social media platform to introduce verification processes for users’ ages just last year. A choice of three options- ID, video selfie or asking friends- were provided in order to make the process as easy and accessible as possible. However, if you are able to get good friends willing to lie on your behalf- something that is relatively easy if you know how to ask politely- then verification may not be necessary on your part.
Instagram has been steadily increasing its age verification capabilities over the past year, adding support in Brazil, Japan, and now Canada and Mexico. The company has partnered with London-based digital identity startup Yoti for video selfie part of the age verification process. In a blog post earlier this month, Instagram said that it will use ‘nutrition data’, ‘location data’, and ‘ facial recognition technology’ to confirm an account holder’s age.
Instagram announces that it has updated its safety features to better identify users who may be underage. The company has outlined what it looks for when vetting accounts, including verifying the user’s age and location.
Instagram is accusing some of its users of lying about their age in order to access the site’s features that are restricted to those who are over the legal age. The company says it has developed AI technology that it uses to infer someone’s age, and that may be one way it identifies an underage user who’s lying about their age. Additionally, Instagram said it may try to match a user’s age on Facebook with their stated age on Instagram, along with the use of “many other signals” that it doesn’t disclose.
TikTok is a popular app that allows users to take short video and pictures with others on the app. Recently, there have been reports of young people being kicked off of the app for appearing to be too young. TikTok has put in place a system where people can verify their age if they are kicked off of the app. If an individual is identified as being too young, they will be banned from using TikTok’s live streaming service, TikTok LIVE.
The budding TikTok app industry has been meeting with multiple providers of facial age-estimation software in 2021. While the potential benefits of such technology, such as being able to tell the difference between children and adults, are clear, one executive for TikTok rejected the deals over fears that facial scanning like this would lead to fears that China was spying on child users.
Today, the U.S. had the TikTok CEO in the hot seat, poised to explain the actual techniques TikTok uses for age determination, and all we got were screaming, blustering politicians putting on a show instead of getting real answers. The CEOs responses ranged from stating that they do not use age detection tools at all to simply claiming that their app is not designed for such purposes- but what about all those suspicious users with seemingly young-looking videos? It seems these politicians would rather just make up some excuses and hope no one takes their claims seriously.
