TikTok vows to create the safest space for its users. This time, the video-sharing platform offers a brand new feature that lets users avoid seizure triggers.
In the next few weeks, a "Skip all" option on videos with seizure triggers will pop up, giving users a chance to avoid such photosensitive content. However, users are also free to toggle the option off and on from their settings.
"This video contains flashes of light that could trigger seizures for people with visual sensitivities. If you skip this video, we'll remove all photosensitive videos," the warning reads.
As the first social media to feature a trigger warning for epileptic seizures, TikTok's decision is met by positive receptions from experts and users. Advocates have been calling on a change since last year, which most of the time, falls on creators' hands rather than the app's developers.
Nicola Swanborough, the head of external affairs at Epilepsy Society, a UK-based charity organization, calls the new feature "encouraging," and praises TikTok for introducing algorithms to detect such content and protect people with epilepsy.
On another occasion, Laura Thrall, the CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation, also gives positive feedback to TikTok.
"While the population of those with photosensitive epilepsy is small, the impact can be quite serious," she said, as reported by WeRSM.
Juice WRLD Challenge
Seizure and epilepsy have always been a problem, but in the wake of rapper Juice WRLD's death from epilepsy in 2019, TikTok was swarmed with the disturbing and eerie "Juice WLRD challenge."
It basically challenges users to mimic the effect of seizures and convulsions in front of the camera to one of Juice's songs, Lucid Dreams.
"I have these lucid dreams where I can't move a thing / Thinking of you in my bed," Juice, whose real name Jarad Anthony Higgins, raps.
The challenge sparked outrage from the community, especially those affected by the illness. Advocates called out social media platforms to do better in tackling the issue.
Safety Concern
This maneuver is not TikTok's first-ever attempt to create a safer space for creators.
Earlier this year, the Chinese-owned social media platform rolled out a "Family Safety Mode" and a "Screen Time Management." They basically enable parents to control what their kids are watching and the amount of screen time they spend on the app.
Besides, parents can also restrict their children from getting a Direct Message from online strangers and toggle the 'Restricted Mode' on and off to limit non-family-friendly contents.
TikTok is currently the fastest-growing social media platform at the moment. Although it was initially released in 2016, the app saw a massive boost in 2018 and 2019.
