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TikTok Changes 2025: What UK Marketers Need to Know About New Guidelines
In August 2025, TikTok released a host of new rules for AI content, LIVE streams and creator content.
For UK brands investing in social media or influencer marketing, understanding these changes is essential to avoid compliance violations. Penalties include pulled LIVE streams and banned accounts.
Marketers must keep authentic engagement with creators and find new ways to capitalize on the increased trust.
In this article, you'll get an in-depth look at recent changes to the TikTok Community Guidelines, algorithm, and AI content.
AI-enhanced social networks
Key Takeaways
- All AI-generated content must be disclosed. Brands should update their campaign briefs and contracts to include explicit requirements for AI labeling.
- LIVE creators on the TikTok app must be trained, over 18, and compliant with ad rules.
- Stricter moderation means marketers must vet creators carefully and avoid risky trends to protect users.
- Transparent and responsible campaigns will resonate more with Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences, who expect brands to act responsibly.
- The new Community Guidelines start on September 13, 2025.
What are the recent changes on TikTok?
TikTok has updated its safety policies to adapt to the European DSA for large social platforms. It has introduced a European Online Safety Hub, now added with 23 different languages.
Here are the latest updates and new features around safety and content moderation on TikTok.
1. AI-Generated Content
From rabbits bouncing on trampolines to the fake arrest of U.S. President Trump, AI-generated content has become increasingly realistic and convincing. TikTok has tightened its rules to keep pace with these developments and protect audiences from deception.
TikTok now requires that all realistic AI-generated images, audio, and video be clearly labeled. Deepfakes—content that shows real people (alive or deceased) saying or doing things they never actually did—are facing the strongest crackdowns.
The new rules also extend to AI-based body or face alterations, meaning creators must disclose if they’ve reshaped their appearance or used filters.
Importantly, the guidelines prohibit the replication of private individuals and minors to prevent harassment, exploitation, or impersonation.
Here’s how to disclose AI-generated content:
- AI Toggle – this adds a "creator labeled as AI-generated" label to content. Once applied to a piece of content, this label cannot be removed.
- Hashtags and Stickers – creators can use tags such as #AIGenerated to flag synthetic content.
- Written Descriptions – words like “synthetic,” “fake,” or “altered” in captions can further clarify the use of AI.
Creators have a 24-hour grace period to update their labeling. TikTok may also automatically label AI content if it's recognized as AI. The app will also automatically tag AI content made through the TikTok app.
These measures align TikTok with international standards, including the EU AI Act and the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) protocols, signaling a global shift toward AI accountability.
For brands, proper labeling helps maintain transparency with audiences, avoids backlash and prevents penalties.
However, don’t let this deter you. Despite the stricter rules, TikTok is also celebrating the creative potential of AI.
The platform has released a number of new AI tools that allow marketers to:
- Accelerate content production at lower cost
- Experiment with new visual formats that stand out in feeds
- Reimagine product photography by bringing stills to life with AI Alive
- Create engaging storytelling experiences without needing a full production team
These new tools can support the creation of impactful content. However, campaign briefs should explicitly include AI-disclosure requirements.
2. LIVE streaming adjustments - July 2025 testing, September release
LIVE streaming sees the biggest changes in TikTok’s latest updates.
Let’s dive into the four key pieces of news about TikTok LIVE.
TikTok's new course: Live Safety Education Centre
TikTok has introduced a mandatory training program for LIVE creators. Before anyone can go live, they must complete this course, which covers community guidelines, safety rules, and best practices for interacting with audiences. The goal is to reduce accidental violations and equip creators with a clear understanding of TikTok’s expectations.
Creator responsibility ramps up
The platform has doubled down on its commitment to creator responsibility during LIVE streams.
Even if issues arise from third-party tools, such as automated captions or translation software, the creator is held responsible. TikTok gives the example of a tool automatically reading out a harmful comment. As the creator has allowed the feature, the content is their responsibility.
As a result, violations will result in penalties to the creator’s account. This puts extra pressure on influencers, who must carefully review tech to ensure it doesn’t generate misleading or harmful content. The creator may be punished by having their LIVE stream stopped, receiving a temporary ban or even being issued a full ban.
A new subsection also adds guidelines for commercial LIVE streams. Creators must clearly adhere to advertising standards about labelling adverts when promoting products in real-time, and TikTok may reduce visibility of content that directs users to off-platform purchases.
Maintaining a “safe environment”
TikTok explicitly highlights the need for creators to avoid content that is “misleading about matters of public importance or harmful to individuals.” While that may sound broad, it reinforces TikTok’s positioning as a platform that is keen to prevent disinformation and abuse.
Interestingly, TikTok has removed language referencing AI endorsements. This could signal that the platform is preparing for more regulated, possibly celebrity-backed, AI-generated activations in the future.
TikTok age changes: LIVE becomes 18+ only
Eligibility to go LIVE and monetise streams has become stricter. TikTok is drawing a firm line, with only users aged 18 and above allowed to run LIVE sessions.
Additionally, the platform has rules restricting adult-themed content, such as dating conversations or suggestive performances, even within the adult bracket.
For brands, this means extra due diligence when running LIVE activations: they must ensure creators are compliant, over 18 and following TikTok’s evolving safety-first framework. Additionally, any endorsements must be clearly labeled.
When did TikTok change the LIVE requirements?
The app began testing new features in July, with a full rollout scheduled for September 13th.
3. Transparency and safety measures: Tiktok newsroom updates on bans and content removal
TikTok continues to try to sidestep its “unsafe” reputation, especially among young users. With almost two-thirds (63%) of U.S. teens using the app, and 66% of 3-17s watching livestreamed videos in the UK, the push to protect children is growing.
TikTok is overhauling content moderation, investing $5.7 billion—a significant fraction of the $23 billion in revenue generated by the app in 2024. The app has reported that it removed 147 million videos, stopped 12 million livestreams and banned more than 214 million accounts between July and September 2024.
The social platform now automates most of its content moderation. The switch to AI means the platform is moving from London, putting UK jobs at risk. Critics believe that the hasty overall will leave the platform less safe. However, TikTok suggests that the move is to combine and strengthen its moderation efforts.
Adam Presser, Head of Operations and Trust & Safety, shared that over 50 features are now available for teen accounts. It has released new features, such as “Family Pairing”, which include automatic notifications for parents and insights into teens’ chosen topics. These tools are designed to give parents a clearer view of what their children are consuming and to limit exposure to risky or inappropriate material.
Tighter Rules for Creators and Marketers
Creators now face stricter responsibilities around misinformation, harmful practices and unsafe trends. TikTok’s new rules not only target misleading health or finance advice but also amplify accountability for those running influencer campaigns or promoting products.
The platform is positioning these moves as a way to rebuild audience trust, which has become critical as regulators demand greater accountability from tech giants.
Brands working with influencers must adhere to the following rules:
- Ensure campaign content is properly tagged as advertising
- Prioritise collaborations with creators who demonstrate compliance and trustworthiness
- Incorporate child safety considerations into planning, especially for campaigns with a broad audience reach
The payoff for brands that get this right is higher trust, stronger resonance with Gen Z and Gen Alpha and reduced risk of reputational damage.
4. Why this matters for marketers in the UK region
Over 30 million people in the UK now use TikTok. And over two-thirds (67%) of UK brands run influencer marketing campaigns on TikTok, making it the second-most popular platform, according to the Kolsquare State of Influencer Marketing Report.
For brands, this means treating compliance not as a box-tick but as a strategic advantage.
Stay compliant with regulations to avoid punishment
While TikTok's new features offer benefits, users must be made aware of the use of AI and advertisements.
AI disclosure and LIVE safety requirements should be incorporated into campaign briefs, contracts and influencer onboarding. This ensures campaigns won’t fall short of the new requirements.
Prioritise authentic creator partnerships
Work with influencers who demonstrate transparency and responsibility, not just reach. A creator who understands TikTok’s new rules is less likely to jeopardise a campaign and more likely to build trust with their audience.
Make compliance a differentiator
Many companies will lag behind on these changes. Those who adopt TikTok’s transparency, safety, and AI rules early can stand out in a crowded UK market by signalling responsibility and professionalism.
Future-proof campaigns
Assume TikTok’s rules will only tighten further. Embed disclosure-first practices and child-safety checks into your long-term influencer strategy to avoid scrambling when the next update lands.
If you're planning an influencer campaign on TikTok, use the Kolsquare TikTok calculator to gauge pricing. Defining your budget to work with authentic influencers who stick to regulations is more important than ever.
The TikTok algorithm: updates marketers should know
The TikTok algorithm is constantly changing. Updates occur every few months, making it a challenge to keep up. Let's review the current priorities of the TikTok algorithm.
Here are the TikTok algorithm updates from the last year:
- The algorithm switched from prioritising broad audiences to small communities. Content now performs better when targeting specific micro-communities, such as #BookTok.
- The algorithm prioritises watch times over plays because they are deeper indicators of interest.
- Users can now set their favourite topics to tailor their For You page (FYP).
- Both the search and FYP are fully personalised to match previous behaviors and interests.
As TikTok becomes more established, it continually improves its algorithm, which is often described as the "most addictive" of all social media platforms.
When did TikTok change its algorithm?
The latest TikTok algorithm change came in August 2025. However, it is updated regularly to incorporate new features and insights.
Want to learn more about the latest TikTok trends? Click here to discover what's trending in 2025.
Keeping up with TikTok’s updates today and in the future
The brands that lean into transparency, safe practices and authentic partnerships on social platforms will avoid risk and build better trust with audiences.
There will likely be further changes to the Community Guidelines, algorithm and AI safety in the future. AI is constantly improving, as is the push for stronger safety features. As a result, marketers need to be more precise than ever, running campaigns on deep analysis.
An influencer platform like Kolsquare will give you the data to find influencers who are compliant and capable of making a real impact.
About Kolsquare
Kolsquare is Europe’s leading Influencer Marketing platform, offering a data-driven solution that empowers brands to scale their KOL (Key Opinion Leader) marketing strategies through authentic partnerships with top creators.
Kolsquare’s advanced technology helps marketing professionals seamlessly identify the best content creators by filtering their content and audience, while also enabling them to build, manage, and optimize campaigns from start to finish. This includes measuring results and benchmarking performance against competitors.
With a thriving global community of influencer marketing experts, Kolsquare serves hundreds of customers—including Coca-Cola, Netflix, Sony Music, Publicis, Sézane, Sephora, Lush, and Hermès—by leveraging the latest Big Data, AI, and Machine Learning technologies. Our platform taps into an extensive network of KOLs with more than 5,000 followers across 180 countries on Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), Facebook, YouTube, and Snapchat.
As a Certified B Corporation, Kolsquare leads the way in promoting Responsible Influence, championing transparency, ethical practices, and meaningful collaborations that inspire positive change.
Since October 2024, Kolsquare has become part of the Team.Blue group, one of the largest private tech companies in Europe, and a leading digital enabler for businesses and entrepreneurs across Europe. Team.Blue brings together over 60 successful brands in web hosting, domains, e-commerce, online compliance, lead generation, application solutions, and social media.
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