In the ever-changing world of social media, the issue of artificial intelligence (AI) and its use to create content on digital platforms has become increasingly concerning. TikTok, one of the most popular apps for sharing videos, recently took significant steps to address this issue by introducing labeling of AI-generated content.
The move, announced on Thursday, May 9, aims to address growing concerns about potential misinformation and confusion that could result from the proliferation of AI-generated content on the platform. Indeed, while AI offers unprecedented creative opportunities, it can also mislead users if they are unaware that the content was created by algorithms.
In an official statement, TikTok said: “AI presents incredible creative opportunities, but can also mislead viewers if they are unaware that the content was generated by AI. Tagging helps to clarify this context, which is why we’ve been labeling AI-generated content with TikTok’s AI effects and requiring creators to label realistically AI-generated content for over a year.”
This collaboration with the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity allows TikTok to use a technology called “Content Credentials” to attach metadata to content, making it easier to instantly recognize and label AI-generated content. This technology was initially deployed on images and videos, and will soon be extended to audio-only content.
Over the coming months, “Content Credentials” will be associated with content created on TikTok, and will also remain attached to content once downloaded. This will identify AI-generated content on TikTok, and help users understand when, where and how the content was created or edited. Other platforms that adopt “Content Credentials” will be able to automatically label them.
As the first video sharing platform to implement this approach, TikTok will join the Adobe-led content certification initiative to help promote the adoption of Content Credentials within the industry. This advance is part of TikTok’s desire to guarantee its users an authentic experience while promoting the creativity of creators.
In conclusion, this initiative by TikTok marks an important step in the management of AI-generated content on digital platforms. By clearly labeling content created by algorithms, TikTok increases transparency and gives users the ability to distinguish authentic content from artificially generated content. An essential measure to ensure the integrity of shared information and protect users against online misinformation.