TikTok users have been noticing a new feature, and it’s…problematic.
If you’ve ever wondered how the TikTok algorithm works and how it labels both you and your content, this new discovery could have some answers. Because, for some (un)lucky users, TikTok is now suggesting hashtags; not based on your interests or following, but on how you look.
The hashtags appear once you’ve filmed a video and go to write a caption – not for everyone, though, as with most social media platforms, new features are rolled out slowly and often tested with creators first. When I went to test it for myself, there were no suggested hashtags, however, my suggested ‘location’ had changed. And it was weird. Location pins like ‘cock’ and ‘sexy fish’ popped up instead of my actual location.
In one video, Juliette, of @recklesslyl1ving, did some detective work on what’s going on, saying “Do you guys really wanna know what you look like?” Before explaining that the hashtags they’ve been suggested include “androgyne”, “mascgirl”, “tomboy” and “TikToklgbt”.
Juliette believes that “TikTok is fully, openly judging you with every single thing that you film,” and that “Nowhere in the video do I say that I’m queer.” She concluded the video by saying, “TikTok will tell you exactly what they think of your video.”
The video has resonated with users, gaining 1.7M views, with comments sharing the experience, one person said “Mine was #addict #blonde”, and another commented, “I got #crosseyed #noseistoobig like girl CHILL.”
TikTok content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
TikToker Franchesca Gillespie was bemused by the hashtags she got suggested, some of which were #moustachegirl’ and #noseistoobig; she then suggested that TikTok shove their hashtags up their…you get the picture.
@ljd.02 uploaded a video criticising the feature for its racist language, as he was suggested #OogaBooga, which is an offensive slang word that mimics African languages. In another video #UglyLightSkin appeared, and he asked, “I thought TikTok was supposed to be a positive app?” Adding that “someone out there might actually get upset by this. Someone would probably get depressed and insecure if they saw this every single time [they went to upload a video].”
TikTok content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
According to TikTok, they are committed to innovating and developing new features and regularly 'experiment' with a variety of features to gather feedback. However, not all these features end up in a final product, and for features that do, they can look and feel quite different by the time they launch broadly.
We live in a world that constantly judges us based on what we look like, from our race to our size to our gender presentation and everything in between.
“What we don’t need is another vehicle for judgement.”
We all know this is extremely toxic and that it affects our mental health – and social media is a huge part of this problem, exacerbating beauty ideals and pressures. What we don’t need is another vehicle for judgement.
The average person spends one hour and 40 minutes per day on social media, with 89% of social media users believing it is damaging their mental health, according to a study by The Cybersmile Foundation. The hashtags appear to be AI created, and we know that AI holds very human biases (because it’s created by us).
As someone with a larger-than-average social media following, I’m acutely aware of the abuse and judgements that spew online. People have taken to my DMs and comment sections to tell me they don’t like my hair, that my body isn’t attractive to them, that my nose is too small. You name it, I’ve had it said.
It’s hurtful, naturally, to feel this judgement, but the ease and normalisation of it is what worries me most. A hashtag suggested by AI is now seemingly doing the same – telling people they’re ugly, that they’re big, and that their forehead is large. There’s an inherent negativity to many of these suggested hashtags, because there’s an inherent negativity to social media and how we use it. These hashtags aren’t based on the video content, the words being said, the humanity – they are based on appearances alone. And that’s damaging.
GLAMOUR approached TikTok for comment. This article will be kept updated.
The chat bot fails to protect children and abuse survivors despite Snapchat being made aware of safety problems months ago
