TikTok is expanding its content filtering tools with the launch of AI-powered Smart Keyword Filters, aimed at helping users limit the appearance of unwanted content on their For You page, the company announced Tuesday.
While users have long been able to block specific keywords, the new AI-enhanced system takes filtering a step further. It automatically detects and excludes related terms and synonyms. For instance, filtering out “remodeling” may now also block similar terms like “renovation” and “renovations.”
The feature will display which additional keywords are being filtered alongside the original one, and users will soon be able to toggle individual terms on or off for more control. TikTok says these filters will become more accurate over time as usage increases.
Additionally, TikTok plans to double the keyword limit from 100 to 200 and introduce a bulk keyword management option, making it easier for users to fine-tune their feed preferences.
In a related update, the platform’s Manage Topics feature—first tested in the U.S. in August 2024—is now available globally. This tool allows users to customize the prominence of categories like sports, travel, food, humor, and current events in their feed. It can be accessed by navigating to Settings > Content Preferences > Manage Topics, where sliders let users adjust content frequency by topic.
TikTok also unveiled a new For You feed education guide, designed to help users better understand and optimize how content is personalized.
The social media giant recently blocked the hashtag #SkinnyTok. Critics who supported this block said some videos with that label were promoting disordered eating and other unhealthy or risky diet behaviors. We’ve reached out to TikTok for comment on this development.
France’s Minister of State for Digital Affairs, Clara Chappaz, has emerged as a leading voice in the fight against the controversial hashtag #SkinnyTok, which has come under fire for promoting harmful body ideals. Since April, Chappaz has been working alongside French and EU regulators to push back against the trend.
“These videos glorifying extreme thinness are revolting and completely unacceptable,” Chappaz said. “Digital tools are incredible drivers of progress and freedom, but when misused, they can destroy lives. Social media platforms cannot dodge their responsibility.”
While restricting access to harmful hashtags is a step in the right direction, some experts warn that such measures may only offer partial protection. “Users are savvy,” said Brooke Erin Duffy, a professor at Cornell University, in an interview with The New York Times. “They know how to navigate these platforms and find ways around content moderation systems.
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