Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
MILAN / ROME – Amid fierce criticism over the viral spread of videos linked to the recent unrest and looting in central Milan, TikTok has officially intervened to clarify its position, announcing unprecedented restrictions on the platform’s tools.
In an official statement, the Chinese-owned company firmly condemned “any form of violence” and said it does not tolerate content that incites illegal conduct, while also asserting the need to protect the right to report and the circulation of documented information.
Task force activated: auto-complete for searches halted
To curb the spread of hate messages and prevent the mobilisation of vandal groups, TikTok has deployed a dedicated special team and strengthened its automated moderation systems:
- Image and audio filters: Advanced visual and audio recognition technologies have been implemented to pre-emptively detect at-risk content;
- Search term blocking: Keywords linked to criminal activity or violence have been blocked, and the auto-complete function for protest-related searches has been disabled;
- Removals and bans: Measures are already in place to delete videos, suspend live streams and permanently deactivate accounts that violate the community guidelines.
Crackdown on live streams and monetisation: “Prevent exploitation of protests”
Among the most impactful countermeasures is the temporary restriction of monetisation systems applied to live streams focused on the unrest. This move is designed to discourage economic exploitation and prevent creators or bad actors from profiting by showcasing looting or urban violence.
Despite the high media attention, the company states that “violation rates remain in line with those recorded in previous periods”, and confirms full cooperation with law enforcement and a network of independent fact-checkers to identify and neutralise emerging threats.
