Policy AdvisorPolicyTikTok Source

Content Policy

Captured: TikTok page date: Hash: c6f128b5b83c

Creator TL;DR

AI-generated from the captured TikTok policy text. Verify against the TikTok source before acting.

TikTok Shop creators must make content accurate, not misleading, and aligned with the actual product and listing. The policy bans harmful, deceptive, illegal, or restricted product promotion across LIVEs, videos, images, titles, and related content elements.

Key points

  • Make all promoted content accurate and consistent with the product.
  • Do not use misleading claims, staging, AI edits, or fake demonstrations.
  • Do not promote gambling, fraud, spam, illegal activity, or harmful content.
  • Do not depict or imply use of high-risk regulated goods.
  • Use only approved auction behavior and the LIVE Auction feature for live bidding.
  • Keep prices, discounts, coupons, and comparisons current and clearly disclosed.
  • Avoid redirects off-platform and prohibited landing pages.
  • Follow category-specific rules for cosmetics, food, weight management, and medical claims.
  • Creators can appeal enforcement actions through Seller Center, the TikTok app, or the Appeals section.

Say / show

  • Use accurate product claims that match the listing and evidence.
  • Disclose conditions for prices or discounts.
  • Keep backgrounds, props, and demonstrations consistent with the item being sold.
  • Verify AIGC content matches the real product details.
  • Use the LIVE Auction feature for live bidding.
  • Check current offers before posting promotional content.

Do not say / show

  • Do not make misleading, false, or unsupported product claims.
  • Do not use exaggerated promises or instant-results claims.
  • Do not promote gambling, fraud, spam, or illegal/criminal activity.
  • Do not depict drugs, tobacco, nicotine products, or smoking-related tools in controlled ways.
  • Do not use links, QR codes, phone numbers, or handles that send users off TikTok Shop.
  • Do not post unsupported comparisons, fake discounts, or expired offers.
  • Do not use misleading beauty filters or unoriginal low-quality content.
  • Do not make prohibited medical, cosmetic, food, or high-risk weight management claims.

Violation risks

  • Content removal
  • Feature restrictions
  • Violation points
  • Restricting commission earnings
  • Account restrictions or account removal

Who it affects

  • Creators
  • Content promoted on TikTok Shop
  • LIVEs
  • Videos
  • Images
  • Titles and descriptions
  • Hyperlinks and anchor links
  • Spoken statements
  • On-screen text
  • Props, gestures, behavior, and demonstrations

Source notes

  • Verify this summary against the TikTok source before acting, since policy details can change.
  • This summary only reflects the provided source text and does not add requirements not stated there.

Confidence: high · Model: gpt-5.4-mini · Prompt: creator-policy-summary-v1

Readable Policy Copy

Captured policy content rendered without TikTok navigation, scripts, tracking markup, or page chrome. Source: article-html.

Key Points
  • Creators must ensure all TikTok Shop content is accurate, compliant, and consistent with the products being promoted.
  • TikTok Shop prohibits misleading claims — including but not limited to misleading background and staging — as well as gambling content, shocking content, spam, fraud, and other harmful or manipulative promotional behavior.
  • TikTok Shop controls content that depicts, uses, promotes, or implies the use of high-risk regulated goods, including drugs and tobacco or smoking-related nicotine products such as e-cigarettes, and/or cigarettes.
  • Violations may result in enforcement actions such as content removal, feature restrictions, violation points, or account restrictions. Appeals are available through Seller Center or the TikTok app.
This policy applies to all Creators and the content they promote on TikTok Shop, including LIVEs, videos, images, and titles. It outlines the requirements all Creators must follow to ensure a safe, trustworthy, and vibrant experience for everyone.

Content

This policy applies to all content uploaded, displayed, or promoted on TikTok Shop. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • LIVEs
  • Videos
  • Cover images
  • Titles and descriptions
  • Hyperlinks and anchor links
  • Spoken statements
  • On-screen text
  • Clothing, props, gestures, and behavior
  • Voiceovers and microphone setups
  • Usernames, nicknames, and personal introductions
  • Product demonstrations and visual representations
All elements of promoted content must comply with this policy, regardless of format.
Content may also need to meet other rules, such as the Shop Tab Eligibility Requirements (rules for showing content on the Shop tab), to be featured on the homepage or in recommendations.

Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC)

AI-generated content is not allowed if it:
  • Misleads or deceives viewers
  • Impersonates others,
  • Changes or exaggerates a promoted product,
  • Fabricates product effects or functions, or;
  • Otherwise, violates the TikTok Shop Content Policy or TikTok Community Guidelines Content that violates these requirements may be removed and/or result in enforcement action.
Additionally, Creators must make sure AIGC produced content matches the actual product, the Product Description Page, and any reliable product evidence. This includes product size, color, material, quantity, included accessories, compatibility, safety attributes, installation requirements, and performance claims.
For more information, refer to our AI Generated Content Restrictions and Requirements.

Auctions

All live bidding must be conducted using TikTok's LIVE Auction feature (a tool for conducting real-time auctions). Any auctions or auction-related activities carried out without this feature are prohibited. Misuse of the LIVE Auction feature is also prohibited.
Auctions and auction-based activities include, but are not limited to:
  • Offering or soliciting bids: Directing users to propose prices for an item until the creator chooses a satisfactory offer
  • Rapid bidding: Placing a short timeframe for users to swiftly and frequently place bids in a fast-paced auction process
  • Timed bidding: Setting a countdown for users to place bids within the timeframe
For detailed requirements related to Auctions, Temporary Listings, LIVE Auction, and Surprise Sets, please refer to the Gambling Policy.

Misleading Background and Staging (LIVE rooms)

In LIVE Auctions, your background and staging must be consistent with the products you are actually selling. Confirmed mismatches are treated as misleading content under this Content Policy, even without an explicit false verbal claim.
  • Do not use products as your background/staging when they are not part of the auction.
  • Items not currently for sale should not occupy any part of your visible background composition.
  • Do not make verbal claims about brand, authenticity, or premium items that do not match the listed product.
For the full requirements, see our Requirements for High-Quality Videos and LIVEs.

Charitable Claims

Creators are prohibited from promoting content that includes claims about donating proceeds to charitable causes, as TikTok Shop is unable to verify these claims. Such content may be removed. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • Claims that earnings from product sales, commissions, or other revenue will be donated, shared, or directed to a charitable cause. This includes fundraisers, charities, non-profit organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), individuals, or any similar cause.
  • Statements that purchases will contribute to any fundraising effort outside platform-approved fundraising tools.

Exaggerated Promises

Creators are prohibited from promoting any content that includes exaggerated promises about a product's performance, effect, or price. This may result in content removal.
For example:
  • "Get slim legs right away when you use this lotion."
  • "This product removes acne in only a few days."
  • Showing wrinkles disappearing in "before and after" comparisons after using a cream
  • "This is the lowest/cheapest/best price you will find for this product on TikTok Shop."
  • "Buy this product using the link below for the cheapest price you will find anywhere."
Exaggerated promises that are prohibited also include AI-generated product demonstrations that show instant or unrealistic effects.
For example:
  • Immediate cleaning,
  • Instant repair,
  • Exaggerated lighting coverage,
  • Unrealistic cutting or drilling capacity,
  • Instant pest elimination,
  • Unsupported plant growth, or;
  • Protective effects beyond product certification
For more information, refer to our AI Generated Content Restrictions and Requirements.

False, Misleading, and Inconsistent Information

Creators are prohibited from promoting any content that is inconsistent with the products being advertised or sold. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • False or misleading claims that a product has won awards or possesses various certifications
  • False or misleading claims that a product is affiliated with other products
  • Vague, inaccurate, or unsupported price comparisons
  • False or misleading product demonstrations
  • False or misleading images, brand names, descriptions, key attributes, models, product guarantees, or warranties
  • False or misleading information regarding services such as delivery, logistics, returns, refunds, and customer service
  • False or misleading coupon codes
Product demonstrations are also misleading when AI-generated content changes what shoppers see, including product scale, material, color, bundle quantity, lighting effects, movement, installation method, surface compatibility, rated capacity, or before-and-after results.
For more information, refer to our AI Generated Content Restrictions and Requirements.

Price and Discount Claims

Creators may mention prices, discounts, coupons, or deals, but the information must be accurate, clear, current, and not misleading.
Prices and discounts on TikTok Shop may vary based on coupons, selected SKUs, bundles, minimum spend requirements, user eligibility, shipping, taxes, or promotional periods. Creators should not suggest that all viewers can obtain a specific price or discount unless the claim is accurate and any applicable conditions are clearly disclosed.
Creators must not promote false, misleading, unavailable, or expired prices or discounts. This includes promoting specific prices or discounts that viewers cannot reasonably obtain through the promoted product link, product page, or checkout, as well as unsupported claims such as "lowest price" or "cheapest price."If a promoted price or discount is subject to conditions, creators should clearly disclose any applicable requirements, such as coupon redemption, selected SKUs, minimum spend, user eligibility, limited-time availability, shipping, taxes, fees, or regional restrictions.
Creators are encouraged to verify prices and discounts before publishing content and avoid continuing to promote offers that are no longer available.

Gambling and Gamification

All gambling and game-like activities are strictly prohibited in LIVEs and videos on TikTok Shop, even when creators are not engaging viewers or offering a chance to win a prize. Refer to the TikTok Shop Gambling Policy for more information.

High-Risk Regulated Goods

Creators must not depict, use, promote, or imply the use of high-risk regulated goods in content, including LIVEs and videos. This control applies to content even when there is no selling behavior. It is separate from listing-side governance, so content enforcement can apply on its own.
Content is controlled when any one of these is true: you show the goods, viewers can clearly see consumption or use, you promote them, or you imply their use.
High-risk regulated goods fall into two main categories.
  • Drugs and Drug Paraphernalia: Drugs include cannabis, THC, and CBD-infused products. Any depiction of drugs or drug paraphernalia is enough to trigger enforcement. Implied use also counts, including drug slang and behavior such as shaking uncontrollably after injecting or smoking an unknown substance.
  • Tobacco, Smoking Related Nicotine Products, and Smoking-Related Tools/Accessories: Controlled when the product or device is the main focus. It is also controlled when smoking or consumption is clearly visible, when the product is promoted, or when use is implied through visible smoke or vapor that is clearly linked to a person on screen.

Illegal and Criminal Activity

Creators are strictly prohibited from promoting any content that contains any form of illegal or criminal activity, which may result in content removal and other enforcement actions.
This includes, but is not limited to:
  • Inappropriate surveillance behaviour: Tracking or monitoring people without consent or appropriate authority, hidden cameras in private settings, and stalking-for-hire or surveillance services.
  • Hateful speech: Content that promotes, engages in, or glorifies hate speech, hateful ideologies, or slurs targeting protected attributes
  • Violent extremism: Content that promotes, engages in, glorifies, or idolizes violent extremism, including the activities, ideologies, recruitment, or representation of extremist organizations.

Infringement of Lawful Rights

Creators are prohibited from promoting any content that uses someone else's brand or content without permission. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • Any content that uses brands or logos for commercial gain (unless they have the rights holder's express permission to do so)
  • Creators are prohibited from using the names, images, and likeness of people (including celebrity images or collections) for commercial purposes, like product endorsement or merchandise. This requires express permission from the individual.
Refer to our TikTok Shop Intellectual Property Policy for more details.

Unsupported or Disparaging Comparisons

Creators are prohibited from promoting content that contains unsupported or disparaging comparisons, which may be removed. This includes:
• Using unsupported comparisons to unfairly criticize other products, brands, or e-commerce sites.
• Using derogatory language to describe competitors.
Refer to the How to Avoid Misleading Content article for more details.

Malware

All uploaded content must not contain any malicious code that could breach or circumvent our platform security measures. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • Viruses
  • Malware
  • Spyware
  • Trojans
  • Phishing

Medical Claims

Content containing medical claims is restricted and may be removed. Prohibited claims include, but are not limited to, those stating a product can:
• Cure serious medical conditions
• Address conditions that require testing, monitoring, and planned treatments supervised by experts

Minor Safety

To protect minors, the following is prohibited and may result in content removal or account restrictions:
  • Any content persuading minors to purchase products or services
  • Any content persuading minors to ask their parents to purchase products
  • Any content targeting minors in giveaways or promotions
  • Other content that may have a negative effect on minor safety
Creators are also prohibited from promoting content where minors verbally endorse a product. There may be other requirements in specific regions regarding minors. Creators must ensure that their promoted content and products meet all relevant laws and regulations.

Misleading Beauty Filters

Creators are prohibited from promoting any content that uses misleading beauty filters.

Misleading Traffic, Spam, and Fraud

Creators are prohibited from promoting any content that includes any form of spam or fraud in user profiles, content, comments, or chats. Violations of this rule may result in content removal and account restrictions.
Creators are strictly prohibited from:
  • Impersonating other individuals or organizations in order to deceive the public or make false or misleading representations
  • Manipulating platform mechanisms in order to artificially generate orders, views, likes, comments, follows, positive customer feedback, or ratings
  • Engaging in activities that deceive consumers or mislead them into ordering, liking, commenting, or more
  • Promoting products by getting sympathy from viewers. This includes, but is not limited to, claims of financial hardship, needing money, begging for help, or stating that a video or LIVE was recorded under pressure
  • Promoting artificial traffic generation services
  • Promoting products with claims that commissions, sales, or other proceeds will be donated or directed to a 3rd party
  • Creating malicious software or modifying code to artificially increase orders, views, likes, followers, shares, or comments
  • Any other attempt to direct users to non-authorized landing pages
The following are also prohibited:
  • Invalid landing pages
  • Landing pages that require a user's personal information to proceed
  • Landing pages that automatically download files to a person's computer

Prohibited Products

All products displayed or otherwise promoted within a creator's content must comply with all local laws, regulations, and our TikTok Community Guidelines. For specific product information, please refer to our TikTok Shop Prohibited Products Policy.
TikTok Shop reserves the right at our sole discretion to decide whether content is appropriate. If we determine that the product is prohibited, illegal, or inappropriate, we may remove it.

Redirecting Traffic

TikTok Shop cannot guarantee the safety of transactions that take place off-platform. Content may be removed if it includes links, references, or other calls to action that direct users away from TikTok Shop.
Prohibited actions include sharing:
  • Links to other websites or online fundraisers
  • Phone numbers, social media handles, or email addresses
  • QR codes
  • Any other information that directs users to an external platform or website

Restricted Products

Creators must not promote any content related to products listed in our TikTok Shop Restricted Products Policy unless they have obtained the necessary approvals.

Sensational, Shocking, or Disturbing Content

Creators are prohibited from promoting content that is sensational, shocking, disturbing, or likely to cause discomfort or distress to users. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • Nudity, depictions of sexual arousal or stimulation, or sexually explicit language
  • Vulgar or offensive language, including hate speech, slurs, or discriminatory remarks
  • Violent or graphic depictions of death or accidents
  • Depictions of dismembered, mutilated, charred, or burned human or animal remains
  • Gore that focuses on open wounds or injuries
  • Real-world physical violence, fighting, or acts of torture
  • Non-natural deaths of animals, such as slaughter
  • Depictions of animal cruelty or gore
You can find further guidance in the Prohibited Content for Platform Safety article.

Unoriginal, Low-quality, and Irrelevant Content

Unoriginal and Prohibited Content

Content is considered unoriginal if the user has not added new or creative edits to any imported or uploaded media. Imported media includes content from TikTok or other sources like television, movies, or webcasts. A visible watermark or superimposed logo is a sign of unoriginal content.
The following content is prohibited:
  • Content that includes extremely short clips, static images, or still scenes during LIVEs
  • Content that includes any inappropriate use of language
  • Exclusively Graphics Interchange Format (or GIF-based) videos
  • Content that lacks active engagement, such as videos or LIVEs where the creator does not speak, interact with viewers, appear on screen, or meaningfully present or demonstrate the product.
For more information, refer to Best Practices for Promotional Content and How to Create Interactive Livestreams and Video Content.
AI-generated content may be considered misleading or low-quality if it replaces real product demonstration with synthetic visuals that do not help shoppers understand the product accurately.
For more information, refer to our AI Generated Content Restrictions and Requirements.

Irrelevant Product Promotion

All promoted products must be relevant and clearly displayed in the related content.
The following situations are examples of irrelevant product promotion:
  • The product shown in the video was not mentioned on the landing page
  • The product was not explicitly or completely shown in the creator's content
  • The product displayed in the creator's content does not match the same product on their landing page
  • The landing page shows the creator's shop page with "Error 404" or other error codes
For more information on irrelevant product promotion, refer to Best Practices for Promotional Content.

Weight Management Content

Creators are prohibited from promoting content that contains high-risk weight loss or muscle gain claims, as set forth in our TikTok Shop Prohibited Products Policy. General, low-risk weight management content directed at adult (18+) audiences is not prohibited by this section. Sports and fitness equipment are exempt from this restriction, even when accompanied by weight- or muscle-related imagery such as a before-and-after body comparison (e.g., a chubby-to-toned physique on exercise equipment). Prohibited high-risk weight management content includes, but is not limited to:
  • Quantified or timeline weight-loss or muscle-gain promises tied to a promoted product (e.g., "lose 10 lbs in a week", "gain 20 lbs of muscle fast")
  • Personal testimonials that credit a promoted product with dramatic weight loss or muscle gain
  • Claims that a product can cure, treat, or prevent obesity
  • Claims that a product contains, acts as, or mimics GLP-1 receptor agonists (a class of medications used for treating type 2 diabetes and obesity), including any suggestion of equivalent weight loss effect
  • Claims that a product is as effective as, works like, or is bioequivalent to anabolic steroids or other controlled substances used for muscle gain
  • Before-and-after body-comparison imagery showing dramatic weight loss or muscle gain tied to a promoted product (outside the Sports/Fitness Equipment exemption)
  • Content that instructs or encourages intentional misuse of a product for weight loss or muscle gain (e.g., off-label stacking, dosing beyond label, or using a product in ways not indicated by its labeling)
  • Promotion of an unhealthy body image or an unhealthy relationship with food
For more information about high-risk weight management content, refer to our Guidelines for Responsible Health-Related Content article.

Category-Specific Prohibited Content

Cosmetics

Creators are prohibited from promoting any content that contains the following:
  • Phrases or implications about treating or preventing any disease
  • Phrases or implications that claim to cure, diagnose, correct, regulate, or modify a physiological function
  • Claims that imply that certain products have pharmacological, immunological, or metabolic effects
  • Claims that imply that certain products renew, correct, or change physiological functions
  • Statements referring to the effect of medicinal products
All cosmetic goods must meet the following criteria:
  • They are applied to the outer parts of the human body.
  • Their effects are temporary.
Content or statements about cosmetic products may not be misleading and may not violate any requirements specified by relevant laws or regulations. Any content containing or implying that a product's functions exceed the actual effect of the marketed item may be considered a violation of our policies.

Food

Food-related content must adhere to the following rules:
  • It must not mislead customers about its characteristics, effects, or properties.
  • Creators are prohibited from attributing medicinal properties to foods.
Claims that a nutrient or food promotes general good health or wellbeing must be supported by documents or certification from a qualified health professional.
Content that states or implies that a type of food, drink, or supplement prevents, treats, or cures disease is not permitted under any circumstances.

Further Information

At TikTok, we do not allow paid political advertising on our platform. In addition, political content is not eligible to be featured in promotions by TikTok Shop, such as "Today's Deals" and "New Customer Deals."

Sensitive Events

Sensitive Events are defined as recent, unforeseen events or developing situations that present a risk of harm. Examples include, but are not limited to, civil emergencies, natural disasters, public health emergencies, terrorism and related activities, or mass acts of violence.When a Sensitive Event occurs, TikTok may remove or limit the promotion of content that tries to profit from or exploit the tragedy for engagement or financial gain.

Enforcement Actions and Appeals

We regularly review creator accounts for compliance with our policies. If violations are identified, we may take enforcement actions. For example, severe violations like promoting illegal products may lead to account removal, while minor issues such as unoriginal content might result in content removal and violation points. The enforcement actions we may take include, but are not limited to:
  • Assigning violation points
  • Removing content
  • Removing access to features
  • Restricting commission earnings
  • Restricting or removing your creator account
Creators can view their account health, find more information, and appeal enforcement actions:
• To view your account health and any enforcement actions, visit the Creator Health Rating (CHR) page.
• For more information on violations, see the Creator Enforcement Policy.
• To appeal an enforcement action, visit the Appeals section. This also includes information on how to appeal actions outside of the CHR framework.

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