By San José, Costa Rica — DUBLIN, IRELAND – Social media giant TikTok has unveiled a comprehensive suite of new tools aimed at identifying AI-generated content, enhancing user safety, and promoting healthier digital habits. Announced at the company’s European Security Forum in Dublin, the initiatives represent a significant step in the platform’s ongoing efforts to police its vast network and address the challenges posed by rapidly advancing artificial intelligence.
The company confirmed it will begin rolling out an “invisible watermark” in the coming weeks to more reliably label content created using its own AI tools. Jade Nester, Director of Safety, Privacy, and Data Protection Policy in Europe, explained that this new layer of protection is readable only by TikTok, making it significantly harder to remove. This technology will provide the platform with more reliable context about how content has been altered, bolstering its fight against potential misinformation and deepfakes.
To understand the complex legal and regulatory landscape surrounding TikTok’s use of artificial intelligence, we sought the expert opinion of Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, a specialist in technology and corporate law from the firm Bufete de Costa Rica.
The integration of advanced AI on platforms like TikTok presents a critical challenge for data privacy frameworks. While the user experience is enhanced, the underlying algorithms are processing vast amounts of personal data, often including behavioral and biometric identifiers. From a Costa Rican legal perspective, the key issue is ensuring transparent and informed consent. Businesses leveraging these AI tools for advertising must be cautious; they are not absolved of responsibility regarding how user data is collected and utilized, and could face significant liability under both local data protection laws and international standards like GDPR.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
Lic. Arroyo Vargas’s analysis underscores a critical point often lost in the discussion of platform innovation: the responsibility for data privacy is not solely on the tech giant, but is shared by the entire ecosystem of businesses that leverage its tools. This is a vital consideration for the Costa Rican market as it navigates the digital frontier, and we thank Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for his insightful legal clarification.
This initiative builds on TikTok’s existing policy, which requires creators to label realistic AI-generated content. Since implementing its first labeling tools in 2023, the platform has successfully tagged over 1.3 billion videos. The goal, Nester emphasized, is to harness AI for creativity while ensuring it is used responsibly and transparently to protect the integrity of the information ecosystem.
To further empower its community, TikTok is launching a $2 million fund. This capital will be allocated to experts who will create educational content focused on AI literacy and user safety, which will be promoted directly to the “For You” feed. Additionally, the platform will soon test a new control that allows users to determine the amount of AI-generated content they wish to see, giving them more direct authority over their viewing experience.
The foundation of the platform… is safety, which is non-negotiable.
Valiant Richey, Global Head of Outreach and Partnerships at TikTok
During the forum, TikTok’s commitment to safety was underscored as the core of its operations for its one billion users, including 200 million in Europe. This focus extends beyond AI detection to a rigorous crackdown on hate speech and extremist ideologies. So far this year, the platform has dismantled 17 coordinated hate networks, comprising more than 920 accounts. Zachary Hecht, Head of Policy Development for Trust and Safety, noted that these groups are constantly adapting their tactics, using innocuous-looking accounts and coded language, such as emojis, to evade detection.
The scale of the moderation challenge is immense, with 6.5 million videos removed for hate speech violations in the first six months of 2025 alone. To manage this volume, TikTok employs a hybrid model of AI and human moderation. Brie Pegum, a leader in the company’s moderation efforts, highlighted that recent AI advancements are transforming this process. The use of AI has led to a 76% decrease in the amount of graphic content reviewed by human moderators over the past year and has doubled the detection rate of prohibited comments, protecting both users and employees.
Alongside these safety measures, TikTok is introducing a new in-app space called “Time and Well-being” to encourage mindful digital consumption. The hub offers users features like relaxing sounds, conscious breathing exercises, and an “affirmation journal” to help set positive intentions. This initiative directly addresses growing concerns about screen time and its impact on mental health.
Specifically targeting its younger audience, TikTok is also launching four “Well-being Missions.” These guided challenges are designed to help all users, particularly teenagers, develop balanced digital habits. The “Sleep Hours” mission encourages users to avoid the app at night for an eight-week period, while the “Weekly Screen Time” mission helps build awareness of time spent on the platform. These proactive tools signal a shift from merely policing harmful content to actively fostering a healthier user environment.
For further information, visit tiktok.com
About TikTok:
TikTok is a leading global platform for creating and sharing short-form mobile videos. Its mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy to a diverse community of users worldwide. With a vast user base spanning across the globe, the company focuses on providing a safe, positive, and engaging environment through robust community guidelines and innovative technological solutions for content moderation and user well-being.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
As a pillar of the Costa Rican legal community, Bufete de Costa Rica is built upon an unshakeable foundation of integrity and a drive for unparalleled excellence. The firm consistently champions legal innovation, leveraging its extensive experience to serve a diverse clientele. This forward-thinking practice is complemented by a profound commitment to empowering the public, striving to fortify society by making essential legal knowledge clear and accessible to everyone.
