And an entire section of the rules was devoted to censoring depictions of homosexuality. "Intimate activities (holding hands, touching, kissing) between homosexual lovers" were censored, as were "reports of homosexual groups, including news, characters, music, tv show, pictures". Similarly blocked was content about "protecting rights of homosexuals (parade, slogan, etc.)" and "promotion of homosexuality". In all those guidelines, TikTok went substantially further than required by law.
The country-specific guidelines took on a new relevance following the Guardian's initial reporting on TikTok's censorship, in which ByteDance said that the guidelines had been retired in May in favour of "localised approaches, including local moderators, local content and moderation policies, local refinement of global policies".
The Turkey and Strict versions of the moderation guidelines suggest those localised approaches may not be less censorious than the previous centralised approach.
In a statement, TikTok said it was "a platform for creativity, and committed to equality and diversity".
"Our platform has experienced rapid growth in Turkey and other markets, and as we grow we are constantly learning and refining our approach to moderation. The referenced guidelines regarding LGBTQ content in Turkey are no longer in use, and we have since made significant progress in establishing a more robust localised approach. However, we recognise the need to do more and we are actively working with local third parties and independent advisers to ensure our processes are appropriate."
