Several curvier TikTok users have accused the app of deleting videos of them in swimsuits and crop tops.
Mikayla Zazon, Denise Mercedes, and Nikki Garza all told the New York Post that they have had multiple videos flagged and then removed by TikTok, with the app claiming that they violated community guidelines.
But they all say that they did nothing to break the rules and charge that what TikTok found objectionable was their size — with Mikayla even claiming that one of her deleted videos portrayed her simply eating a cookie in a crop top.
Rude! Several curvier TikTok users have accused the app of deleting videos of them in swimsuits and crop tops
Her story: Mikayla Zazon, 24, has more than 721,000 followers on the controversial social media app, which she has amassed only since joining earlier this year
That’s not positive! She posts lots of body positive content, but noticed early on that TikTok was flagging videos of her in bathing suits and sports bras and removing them
Mikayla Zazon, 24, has more than 721,000 followers on the controversial social media app, which she has amassed only since joining earlier this year.
She posts lots of body positive content, but noticed early on that TikTok was flagging videos of her in bathing suits and sports bras and removing them. So far, they’ve taken down 40 different videos, including the one of her eating a cookie in a crop top.
She has since uploaded another video that mostly shows her working out at the gym — but includes a brief cutaway to that cookie moment.
For all of this, TikTok accused her of violating the community guidelines, which ban content that is dangerous, graphic, promoting harm, sexually explicit, or a form of harassment.
Mikayla, though, insists that none of her videos meet that criteria, and says she thinks they were removed because she’s not thin.
What’s wrong? So far, they’ve taken down 40 different videos, including the one of her eating a cookie in a crop top (pictured from Instagram)
Huh? TikTok accused her of violating the community guidelines, which ban content that is dangerous, graphic, promoting harm, sexually explicit, or a form of harassment
Sure, Jan.. Mikayla has complained several times, and just finally managed to speak to someone on the phone — who blamed AI for the issue
To test her theory, she posted a video promoting body positivity, which featured several women of different sizes. She also had a friend with a ‘smaller body’ post the same exact video.
While the friend’s post went up immediately, Mikayla’s identical post was ‘under review’ for three hours.
Mikayla has complained several times, and just finally managed to speak to someone on the phone — who blamed AI for the issue.
‘Every single video on this platform goes through a quick review right when it’s posted, so there’s a bit of a delay between the time when you post and when the video can be seen by everyone on TikTok,’ the representative said, according to a recording of the call supplied to the Post.
Still, the rep couldn’t explain why Mikayla’s friend’s video went up while hers was flagged.
Another one: Denise Mercedes , 28, is a fashion influencer with 2 million followers on TikTok
Showing off: On TikTok, her videos frequently include a smaller friend in the same outfit to show that women of different sizes can pull off the looks
Lookin’ good! Denise said that videos of herself in swimsuits and crop tops have been removed so often that she has simply stopped posting them (pictured: photo from Instagram)
‘It feels bad,’ she said. ‘When it first started happening, I was angry … It’s so frustrating’
Denise Mercedes, 28, is a fashion influencer with 2 million followers on TikTok. Across her social media platforms, she posts photo and video of herself in stylish outfits.
On TikTok, her videos frequently include a smaller friend in the same outfit to show that women of different sizes can pull off the looks.
But Denise said that videos of herself in swimsuits and crop tops have been removed so often that she has simply stopped posting them. One deleted video showed her in a bathing suit with a coverup on top.
Not willing to work that hard on content no one would see, she has been staying more ‘conservative’ to get around censors.
‘It feels bad,’ she said. ‘When it first started happening, I was angry … It’s so frustrating.’
Speaking out: Nikki Garza , a self-described ‘plus-size babe,’ said she has also had videos flagged
‘My first month… I think every other video went under review. I always appealed them and fought, and I’ve won a majority of them, except two that were permanently deleted,’ she said
Not OK: She calls the company’s response ‘fatphobic,’ noting that similar videos shared by smaller women were kept
Nikki Garza, a self-described ‘plus-size babe,’ said she has also had videos flagged.
‘My first month on TikTok, I think every other video went under review. I always appealed them and fought, and I’ve won a majority of them, except two that were permanently deleted,’ she said.
One permanently deleted video showed her experience ‘shopping in a department store while fat.’
Nikki was only told that she violated guidelines when the video was deleted.
She calls the company’s response ‘fatphobic,’ noting that similar videos shared by smaller women were kept.
‘Why do I already have to go through so many hoops and appeal things to post the same exact kind of content my thinner counterparts do?’ she asked.
‘Why do I already have to go through so many hoops and appeal things to post the same exact kind of content my thinner counterparts do?’ she asked
Caught: In March, leaked internal documents showed TikTok moderators were instructed to suppress content of users with undesirable physical attributes
TikTok has been accused of targeting plus-size users before.
The Intercept reported in March that the app has a policy to suppressing posts ‘created by users deemed too ugly, poor, or disabled,’ with moderators instructed to delete them.
Internal documents shared by the site show moderators being told to suppress uploads from users with ‘abnormal body shape,’ ‘ugly facial looks,’ dwarfism, ‘obvious beer belly,’ ‘too many wrinkles,’ ‘eye disorders,’ and other ‘low quality’ traits.
At the time, a spokesperson didn’t deny the document but said it was ‘outdated and no longer in use’.
As for the current accusations, a spokesperson told the Post that ‘body type is never a reason for content moderation on our platform’.
‘The fact that some in our community feel it might be is a concern we listen to deeply, and we’re committed to continuing to examine our policies and practices as we work to keep TikTok a safe and welcoming place for everyone.’