If you use TikTok frequently, it’s likely that you’re going to end up reporting somebody at some point.
Although TikTok does a wonderful job at keeping rule-breaking content off its platform, unfortunately we can’t control what appears on our feeds. Therefore, it’s inevitable that there will be something you’ll want to report eventually.
But this may leave you wondering – will the video creator know that you were the one that reported them? Are reports on TikTok anonymous, or can they be tied back to you in some way?
In this article, we’ll cover everything that you need to know.
Are TikTok Reports Anonymous?
Yes. TikTok reports are completely anonymous, and it is impossible for the video creator to know who it was that reported them.
This means that you can safely report a video without having to worry about potential retaliation, or awkward conversations of any kind.
Of course, if you tell the person that you reported them, they may come back to blame you for any action TikTok takes against their account. Therefore, it’s best to report someone silently, without leaving a comment to rub it in.
So what happens if you report a TikTok?
Chances are, the video won’t be taken down right away unless it has already been reported by other users. If TikTok’s system believes that video warrants it, then the video may be temporarily taken down for review.
During this time, a TikTok moderator will view the video themselves to determine whether or not the TikTok violates their community guidelines. If it does, the video will be permanently pulled off.
The TikToker will have a chance to file an appeal, which may or may not be granted.
It should be noted that rule-breaking videos may be taken down even if no reports have been received. This is because TikTok uses an extremely advanced AI to ‘look’ at what’s in the video, and determine if the video should be suppressed or taken down entirely.
Will TikTok Tell You Who Reported You If You Ask?
Let’s say you’re on the receiving end of a report, and your video has been taken down. Will TikTok tell you who reported you?
For better or worse, it appears that TikTok has chosen to keep this information private. This is in line with other social networks, and is likely put in place to keep users safe. After all, although you may be level-headed, there are some people that would go after those who reported them, especially if the video was otherwise performing well.
This is a little controversial in some circles, as some people believe it leads to harassment and other false reports. We’ll touch more on this later on.
As for now, it seems TikTok does not want any transparency in the process, and I believe they have good reason for this decision.
While TikTok themselves know who has filed reports, they do not seem to share this information with video creators under any circumstances.
So, you’ll only know who reported you if they happen to volunteer that information.
Can You Cancel A Report?
Let’s say you filed a report for a video, but you want to cancel it.
Perhaps you reported someone by mistake, you realized they didn’t actually break the rules, or you were just being petty and trying to get someone banned (it happens.)
What can be done?
Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any way to cancel a report. Even if you contact TikTok support, they are unlikely to take any action.
Thankfully, you don’t really have a whole lot that you need to worry about either.
Reported TikToks are viewed by TikTok moderators, who are experts at knowing whether videos actually violate community guidelines. They know all of TikTok’s rules, inside and out. Therefore, if the reported video doesn’t actually break any rules, no further action will be taken and the video will be reinstated if it was pulled down for review.
So, you really don’t have anything to worry about!
The only exception to this is with live videos. Live videos seem to get pulled down much more quickly due to reports, which is understandable as TikTok is not able to moderate these quite as quickly. Therefore, you should be extra cautious when reporting a live video.
What Happens If You File A False Report On TikTok?
Let’s say for a moment, that you went and reported a bunch of someone’s videos. Perhaps you were angry at them, or you simply wanted to see their account get suspended.
What will happen? Could you get in trouble for filing false reports?
At this time, we have not seemed to notice any repercussions for filing fake reports on TikTok. In my opinion this is a problem – false reports waste TikTok’s time at best, and actively hurts creators at worst.
The fact that people can come in and inconvenience or even get accounts closed for no good reason is ridiculous – especially for live videos, where TikTok pulls videos down even faster.
There is one thing, though. While TikTok does not seem to ban or suspend accounts that file false reports, there is a strong likelihood that these reports are not weighed as heavily.
This makes sense – if your account has been proven to file false reports in the past, it would make sense for TikTok to not take them as seriously or even disregard them entirely. Other social networks do this to maintain the integrity of the report system, so it is likely TikTok does something similar as well.
Therefore, if you want to make sure that your reports are actually effective, it is best to use them when someone is clearly breaking the rules – and not just file reports because you disagree with something.
Conclusion
Reports on TikTok are completely anonymous, and there’s no way for a video creator to find out who reported them.
That being said, you should be mindful to only report videos that actually violate TikTok’s community guidelines.
While TikTok is unlikely to ban anyone that files false reports, it’s possible that they may begin devaluing the reports that you send out – making them less effective.
I hope that this article has answered your questions. If you have any other questions about filing reports on TikTok, please ask them using the comment form below.
Thank you for reading,
– James McAllister
Though it is intended to be a good tool. Reporting could sometimes be abused if the reports have not been properly vetted. Luckily, like you have mentioned one could at least appeal for the decision to be overturned.
Tekkaus(Quote)