According to TechRepublic, TikTok is launching new features that let users control how much AI-generated content appears in their For You feed through an updated Manage Topics tool. The platform is also testing invisible watermarking technology to better label synthetic content that gets edited or reuploaded, and investing $2 million in an AI literacy fund with partners like GirlsWhoCode. These changes come as AI-generated media becomes more convincing and widespread, posing risks from misinformation to identity fraud. The new controls allow users to scale back AI content but not remove it completely, while AI enthusiasts can opt to see more synthetic content. TikTok is deepening collaborations with groups like Partnership on AI to push for industry-wide standards around synthetic media transparency.
The control illusion
Here’s the thing about TikTok’s new AI controls – they’re giving users the appearance of choice without actually letting them opt out completely. You can scale back AI content, but you can’t make it disappear entirely from your feed. It’s like being able to turn down the volume on a song you hate rather than being able to skip it entirely. And honestly, that’s probably by design. TikTok’s entire algorithm is increasingly powered by AI, and much of the trending content these days involves some level of AI enhancement. So while this feels like a user-friendly move, it’s really just TikTok managing expectations in an AI-saturated environment.
The invisible watermark gamble
The invisible watermarking is actually the more interesting development here. Traditional metadata labels disappear when content gets edited or reuploaded – which happens constantly on TikTok. So embedding hidden markers that only TikTok’s systems can read could be a game-changer for tracking synthetic content across the platform. But there’s a catch: these watermarks will initially only appear in content created with TikTok’s own tools like AI Editor Pro and uploads with C2PA credentials. That leaves a massive gap for content created elsewhere and uploaded without proper labeling. Basically, TikTok is trying to solve a problem it helped create, but the solution only covers part of the ecosystem.
The $2 million literacy reality check
Let’s talk about that $2 million AI literacy fund. On one hand, it’s great to see platforms investing in education around responsible AI use. Partnering with organizations like GirlsWhoCode could help create more informed content about synthetic media. But let’s be real – $2 million is pocket change for a company of TikTok’s size. It feels more like a PR move than a genuine commitment to solving the AI literacy crisis. The hard truth is that as AI gets more sophisticated, the average user’s ability to spot synthetic content is decreasing rapidly. No amount of educational content can keep pace with how quickly the technology is evolving.
Where platforms need to step up
So what’s really happening here? TikTok and other platforms like Pinterest are realizing they can’t ignore the AI transparency issue anymore. Users are getting wary, regulators are paying attention, and the technology is advancing faster than anyone anticipated. The question is whether these measures are enough. Giving users some control over their AI exposure is a start, but it doesn’t address the fundamental issue: platforms need to take responsibility for the synthetic content they’re amplifying. The invisible watermarks and literacy funds are steps in the right direction, but they feel like reactive measures rather than proactive solutions. As AI continues to blur the line between real and synthetic, platforms will need to do more than just give users volume knobs – they’ll need to fundamentally rethink how they handle synthetic media at scale.
