September 8, 2020
A graphic video circulating in TikTok shows a man shooting himself with a gun is being removed by the Social Media Platform and banning accounts that re-upload the clip.
The clip was initially being streamed on Facebook and appeared on other apps as well. Becoming aware of the clip, many creators have started posting videos that’s warns their followers to look out for an image – a man sitting in front of his desk with a gray beard – and then swipe away from the video immediately. Other content creators talked about the most disturbing part of the footage hiding inside more innocent-looking TikToks. A representative from TikTok has confirmed that “clips of a suicide” have started circulating last Sunday night.
“Our systems have been automatically detecting and flagging these clips for violating our policies against content that displays, praises, glorifies, or promotes suicide,” the spokesperson stated.
“We are banning accounts that repeatedly try to upload clips, and we appreciate our community members who’ve reported content and warned others against watching, engaging, or sharing such videos on any platform out of respect for the person and their family.”
Several types of videos have appeared on other sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit. As TikTok videos are surfaced into one main feed – acknowledged as “For You Page” – where people scroll through, it is hard to avoid them. This is why the TikTok community is trying their best to be extra vigilant about warning others about the video’s content.
Simultaneously, the video has also started popping up on Instagram, where the clips of the video are flowing. Meanwhile, on Twitter, parents are narrating about their children and teenagers coming across the video and the effects it left.
“If anyone in our community is struggling with thoughts of suicide or concerned about someone who is, we encourage them to seek support, and we provide access to hotlines directly from our app and in our Safety Center,” the spokesperson said.
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