TikTok announces new ways to filter out mature or 'potentially problematic' videos

TikTok on Wednesday announced several updates intended to help users customize their viewing preferences and filter out content that may be problematic or too mature for young users, amid renewed scrutiny of the potential harms social media poses to teens.

The short-form video app is tweaking its viewing experience so users will now see fewer videos about topics that "may be fine as a single video but potentially problematic if viewed repeatedly," according to Cormac Keenan, head of trust and safety at the company. Keenan cited topics related to dieting, extreme fitness, and sadness as examples of such content. (TikTok rival Instagram has also previously attempted to prevent teens from seeing certain weight loss products.)