TikTok tries to remove graphic videos on the app that show a man shooting himself with a gun, and block the accounts of people who re-upload the clip.
Tik Tok says that the clip was originally broadcast on Facebook, and appeared on other applications before the TikTok community learned about the clip, and many users began posting videos warning their followers not to search for a picture of a man sitting in front of his office with a gray beard. And they say that this photo is only a camouflage of the suicide video.
A TikTok representative confirmed to The Verge, a technology specialist, that the “suicide clip” began spreading on Sunday night.
"Our systems automatically detect these clips and report them for violating our policies against content that displays, praises, glorifies, or promotes suicide," the spokesman said, adding, "We block accounts that try to download clips over and over again, and we appreciate members of our community who reported the content, and warned." Others, out of respect for the person and their family, can watch, subscribe to, or share these videos on any platform.
These types of videos have appeared on other sites in the past, including Facebook, Instagram and Reddit.
And since Tik Tok videos appear on one main feed - known as the For You page - that people browse, it can be difficult to avoid the shots.
This may explain why the TikTok community is trying to be more vigilant about warning others about the images in the video.
Warnings also began to appear on "Instagram", as the video clip is also circulating there. Parents spoke on sites such as Twitter about their children and adolescents who watched the video, and the effects it would have on their psyche.
An app spokesperson said: "If anyone in our community has thoughts of suicide or feels anxious about someone, we encourage them to seek support, and we provide access to hotlines directly from our app and in our safety center."