TikTok announced its intention to introduce labeling for images and videos created using artificial intelligence (AI), employing a digital watermark called Content Credentials. This decision comes amidst concerns from researchers about the potential misuse of AI-generated content in influencing U.S. elections. As part of an initiative to combat this issue, TikTok, along with 20 other tech companies, had previously committed to fighting such interference.
While TikTok already identifies AI-generated content produced within its app, the new labeling system extends to content generated outside the platform. Adam Presser, TikTok’s head of operations and trust and safety, emphasized the platform’s policies against unlabeled realistic AI content, affirming their commitment to removing such material.
The Content Credentials technology, developed by the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity, has gained traction among tech giants like Adobe and Microsoft, as well as AI tool creators like OpenAI. Platforms such as YouTube and Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook) also intend to implement this system.
For the labeling process to work effectively, both the AI tool creator and the platform distributing the content must adopt the industry standard. OpenAI’s Dall-E tool, for instance, attaches a watermark to AI-generated images, enabling platforms like TikTok to automatically label such content.
TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, faces regulatory challenges in the U.S., with recent legal disputes over divestment requirements. Nonetheless, the platform remains committed to implementing measures to ensure transparency and authenticity in content dissemination.
