TikTok has released a new version of Community Guidelines that will take effect in mid-September 2025. This update retypes most passages to make them clearer and introduces a few minor but significant rules. The changes include clearer duties for LIVE creators, new wording on AI-generated content, and an explicit note that search results and comments can be personalized for each user.
What changed for LIVE creators
TikTok now makes LIVE stream hosts responsible for what happens during their broadcasts. Hosts must monitor third-party tools that read or translate viewer comments in real time. The platform warns that automated tools can produce content that breaks the rules and that the creator is accountable for that output. This change formalizes an expectation that creators will watch and control any automated features used during a live session.
TikTok also adds more detail about commercial content shown on LIVE. Creators must disclose paid promotions and sponsorships. The company says it will reduce the visibility of posts that steer viewers off the platform to buy products in markets where TikTok Shop is active. That means creators who drive on platform commerce may see different treatment than those who direct sales outside the app.
How the rules treat AI-generated content
The community rules now use simpler language for AI content that is misleading or harmful. The policy removes some older wording about fake authoritative sources and replaces it with a clearer ban on content that misleads the public on important matters or harms individuals. This is a tightening that also signals a move toward broader, principle-based enforcement rather than a long list of specific banned examples.
The change in wording also drops a specific line about AI endorsements. That removal has prompted industry debate over whether the platform may allow additional types of synthetic endorsements in the future. TikTok does not yet allow misleading deepfakes and materials that would hurt individuals or the conversation.
Personalization of search results and comments
TikTok now explicitly notes that search results can vary by user and that comments are sorted for each person. The company says the platform will use signals like past searches, what a person watched, and how they have interacted with comments to rank results and replies. That means two users looking at the same video or search query could see different comments and different search outcomes. The aim is to make each user experience more relevant to that individual.
Why these changes matter
These edits respond to global regulatory pressure and to ongoing safety work inside the company. The revisions are partly a rewrite for clarity. At the same time, they shift attention to creator responsibility and to platform control of commerce and personalization. Automated tools are introduced by creators who have to check their workflow. Selling off-platform businesses can experience reduced reach in markets where TikTok Shop is present.
What creators should do now
Evaluate new instructions and take all necessary measures to follow them. Before working on the live streams, do sound or voice testing. Sponsorships and paid partnerships should be made known to viewers. In case you are selling products, think about how redirecting traffic off the platform can impact your reach in markets where you compete with TikTok Shop. The new regulations provide the artists with specific responsibilities. This will mean the chance of being caught off guard will be lower.
When the changes take effect
TikTok’s revised rules go live on September 13, 2025. The rollout gives creators time to read the new text and to change their behaviour before enforcement begins. The company published the new guideline text on its policy pages and linked guidance for account features and content integrity.
How TikTok frames moderation
The revised text swaps some words about why the company moderates content. The language now frames content rules as helping the app remain a safe, fun, and creative place for everyone. That change is subtle. It signals a shift in tone that is meant to feel more user-friendly. Observers will watch whether that wording shift affects enforcement practice.
Where to read the new rules
Creators and businesses should read the official Community Guidelines sections on account features, integrity and authenticity, and For You feed standards to see the exact wording and examples. The official policy pages contain the new text and the official effective date. Review the parts that talk about LIVE responsibilities, commercial content, AI-generated content, and personalization.
TikTok will continue to update guidance and link the changes to compliance with laws in multiple regions. The company is treating the rewrite as both a simplification and a tightening in some areas. The result is a clearer set of duties for creators and a more explicit approach to how content may be ranked or hidden going forward.