Does TikTok Censor Bongs and Glass Art?
On a purely itemized basis, TikTok does not explicitly ban the appearance of bongs and glass art on their platform. Tik Tok content moderation includes the restriction of content that seemingly promotes the sale of glass, or the act of smoking. Which unfortunately means that even a benign post of glass art simply demonstrating its craftsmanship, could be flagged content that ends up censored. This is also because the Tik Tok shop feature holds much stricter standards of content moderation that spill over into the standard platform.
TikTok’s Official Rules on Drug-Related Content
The official rules on drug-related content as it relates to bongs and glass art is as follows: “We don’t allow the trade, marketing, or promotion of regulated, prohibited, or high-risk goods and services. Registered business accounts and verified TikTok Shop sellers may be allowed to sell or market some regulated items if they meet strict requirements”(source) For the TikTok shop platfrom, similar rules apply: Drug paraphernalia, such as products primarily intended for making, preparing, consuming or concealing controlled substances. This includes but is not limited to bongs, glass pipes, or vaporizers designed for smoking or drug use” (source).
How TikTok’s moderation and algorithm flag content
Like other social media platforms, TikTok employs an amalgamation of algorithmic content moderators that rely on learning models, keyword scanning, and user-based reporting. So TikTok’s “moderators” might see your post of your custom bong, recognize that familiar bong-shape we all know and love, flag it, report it, and have it removed from the site.
Why Glass Artists and Head Shops Get Flagged on TikTok
Glass artists and head shops get frequently flagged on TikTok due to when bongs and functional glass art are depicted in use or the act of smoking. This is a big no-no on TikTok’s end and will easily see your content removed as a result. However, from the range of content violations, with depictions of use being the most violating of the guidelines, even just the shapely form of functional glass art can be enough for TikTok to warrant a content flagging. This all stems from the strict rules about the transaction of paraphernalia on TikTok’s platform.
Find a Giggle Glass Artist
How Artists Share Bong and Glass Content on TikTok Without Getting Penalized
Getting around the strict content policies on TikTok can be a tumultuous task as an aspiring glass-artist looking to display his or her wares. Luckily, there a few tips and tricks to use that can help keep glass art related content from being flagged and removed from TikTok.
Video framing and editing strategies that stay compliant
The way you shoot your glass art can make the difference between content that is guideline compliant, and content that gets flagged. The best way to frame and edit your content to stay compliant revolves around the emphasis of the artistic and crafted quality of a piece. Using shots that highlight colorwork or shaping, not functionality. Shooting content that emphasizes the studio process and glassblowing techniques also help to avoid the algorithmic accusation that you are promoting drug use and paraphernalia.
Caption and on-screen text choices that reduce removals
Avoiding language that speaks upon a bongs function, or heck even the word bong, will help you get around caption flagging that could get your posts hidden. Instead focus on artisanal centric language like: “functional sculpture,” or “custom glass.” And whatever you do, refrain from making any kind of mention of pricing or sale on site, this is where TikTok enforces the strictest content moderation.
Audio, hashtags, and trend usage that help avoid flags
Similar to the wording of your captions, you should avoid using audios, hashtags, and trends that are linked to cannabis culture. Using Afroman’s “Because I got High” as your accompanying soundtrack to a post about glass art will for sure have content moderators flagging your post. But, if you art-focused hashtags, and utilize popular TikTok trends unassociated with smoking, then you’ll be right as rain.
What Happens If Your TikTok Video Gets Taken Down
Once your content is flagged, it can be removed. This can happen with either your content being set at a reduced visibility to others, a removal, and in extreme circumstances, a ban.
Content removal vs account strikes
When a video from your account is removed once, it involves reduced visibility for that post, reduced reach for your overall account, and even a formal strike depending on how egregiously violating your post is. For instance, a video removed simply showcasing the form of a new custom glass piece might be only set to reduced visibility, while the video of you smoking from that piece induced a formal strike on your account. A formal strike would incur posting restrictions, temporary bans, and even a permanent account ban.
Appealing TikTok moderation decisions
You could always appeal TikTok’s moderation decisions and you always should if you’re playing by the rules we’ve laid out. If one of your posts is removed you should immediately file and appeal through TikTok support, within your appeal you should explain the artistic context of your glass piece, that it is in fact an artistic craft of passion and not a for-sale functional piece.
How Glass Retailers Can Use TikTok While Staying Compliant
It’s tough on TikTok for Glass Retailers to stay compliant. For starters, no mention of selling can occur on the TikTok platform relating to functional glass pieces. To get around this, a glass retailer can use TikTok to instead share awareness of the brand – it’s personal story of how it came to be, what it means to the glass retailer, and what it could mean for a potential customer. This is an effective and sneaky way to advertise your custom glass art while staying perfectly within TikTok content guidelines.
Final Thoughts: Navigating TikTok as a Glass Brand
TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms, so it should be used by glass artists and retailers who wish to share their work with the world. However, to do so involves a lot of jumping though tiny hoops known as content guidelines that one brush up against can bring forward lots of unnecessary headache. That’s why when it comes to actually showcasing glass in a thorough and deliberate way, you should invest in the industry friendly platforms that encourage the promotion and sale of custom functional glass art. One such platform that caters to the display of wonderfully crafted glass is Giggle Glass. Using TikTok to spread brand awareness can be a usefully strategy, but when it comes time to get a closer look at the glass and even it’s price tag, one should take a look at a highly convenient platform for selling glass like GiggleGlass.
