China's TikTok Recommends Blocking 'Ugly,' Poor Uploaders To Attract New Users - Reports

Chinese social media app TikTok has instructed its moderators to block posts by users deemed as ugly or poor as part of a policy of attracting new users, The Intercept reported on Monday, citing a batch of internal documents at its disposal

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th March, 2020) Chinese social media app TikTok has instructed its moderators to block posts by users deemed as ugly or poor as part of a policy of attracting new users, The Intercept reported on Monday, citing a batch of internal documents at its disposal.

The purported documents allege that TikTok seeks to bar uploads from users with "abnormal body shape," "ugly facial looks," dwarfism, "obvious beer belly" or "too many wrinkles." "Eye disorders," "crooked mouth disease or other disabilities" would also make a user unattractive, the guidelines say.

In addition, the social network recommends against videos with a "shabby and dilapidated" shooting environment, in particular those containing such features as a "crack on the wall" or "old and disreputable decorations.

" The rules however note that "rural beautiful natural scenery could be exempted."

The documents explain that the aforementioned type of undesirable content is "not that suitable for new users for being less fancy and appealing."

In a comment to The Intercept, the video-sharing app said that the guidelines published by the outlet "are either no longer in use, or in some cases appear to never have been in place." As for the policy of blocking uploads from "unattractive" users, the spokesman called it "an early blunt attempt at preventing bullying," which is no longer in place.

The Intercept, on its part, insists that the documents have no mention of the anti-bullying policy but actively highlight the policy of attracting new users.