TikTok just dropped its updated Community Guidelines, and if you’re the type of person who actually reads the fine print (bless your detail-oriented soul), you might have noticed something… interesting.

Remember when TikTok proudly proclaimed it wanted to keep the platform “safe, trustworthy, and vibrant”? Yeah…about that. The new guidelines have quietly shuffled “trustworthy” off this mortal coil, replacing it with the more millennial-friendly goal of being a “safe, fun, and creative place for everyone.”

Let’s dive into what TikTok really changed.

Comment Section: Now a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Book
TikTok now personalizes your comment section based on your past behavior. This means your comment section might look completely different from your friend’s— even on the same video. Comments are being sorted based on your “signals”: past replies, likes, and reports.

Search Results: Now With Extra Bias!
Remember when search engines tried to be neutral? TikTok said “hold my bubble tea” and decided that search results should be personalized to every user. In other words, your past searches and viewing history now shapes what you’ll find. Same search term, completely different realities.

The AI Endorsement Mystery
The most intriguing change happens in the AI content section. TikTok removed specific language about fake AI endorsements, replacing it with much vaguer terms about “misleading content about matters of public importance.”

These changes, set to go into effect September 13, reveal TikTok’s real priorities: keeping you shopping (on its platform) and keeping you engaged (with increasingly personalized content bubbles).

To know more, click here.