TikTok to restrict livestreams to viewers who are 18 years and above

Chinese short-video making app TikTok is reportedly restricting livestreams to viewers who are 18 years of age and above, to prevent minors from encountering adult content.

The new setting for users is currently in limited testing with select users, reports TechCrunch.

The select users in the testing period can toggle the "mature themes" button to restrict their livestreaming to adults only.

The platform said that that "only viewers 18 and above can see your LIVE" if you turn it on.

Once a user turns on the setting, TikTok will notify him that LIVE videos tagged 18+ will still be removed if they violate community guidelines.

TikTok recently said it was developing a system to identify and restrict certain types of content from being accessed by teenagers.

"We've heard directly from our creators that they sometimes have a desire to only reach a specific older audience. So, as an example, maybe they're creating a comedy that has adult humor, or offering kind of boring workplace tips that are relevant only to adults. Or maybe they're talking about very difficult life experiences," said Tracy Elizabeth, TikTok's US Head of Issue Policy.

"We're testing ways to help better empower creators to reach the intended audience for their specific content," she added.

The new 18+ restriction setting for livestreams is, however, not meant to promote adult content on the platform and it will be tightly scrutinised, said the company.