TikTok's new suggested hashtag feature is 'unhinged,' according to creators: 'Unnecessarily aggressive'
A new hashtag feature is being rolled out to TikTok creators — and for some, the feature is causing unexpected identity crises.
According to TikTok user Juliette (@recklesslyl1ving), who went viral when she brought the new feature to light, the app is now generating suggested hashtags based on what’s being depicted in creators’ videos.
However, it seems that these hashtags are taking some creative liberties — while also passing personal judgment — on creators’ appearances and their content.
Now, much like the new automatic filter being added to TikToker’s videos, this suggested hashtag feature has some users side-eyeing the app.
“Do you guys really want to know what you look like?” Juliette asks in her video, which gained over 1.8 million views and 5,000 comments.
She then demonstrates a video draft for which TikTok generated suggested hashtags — which included such tags as #emogirlvibes, #mascgirl, and #lgbtqtrend (despite never mentioning being a part of the LGBTQ community).
“TikTok is fully, openly judging you with every single thing that you film.”
After watching Juliette’s video, another TikToker named Maria (@mariafv41) took to the app to try out the new hashtag feature for herself.
For Maria, a few generated hashtags in particular stuck out — namely #noseistoobig, #blckgirltragic, #bigfacetrend and #loudblackgirls.
In response to Maria’s video, over 7,000 TikTokers took to the comments section to share their own shocking hashtags.
“one of mine was #crosseyedgirl 😭” wrote @babalici0us.
“Mine said pregnantlife and mypregnancyjourney 😭… I am not pregnant,” commented @biryanibaby.
“I got #NoHusbandGirl,” shared @vio__olet.
"this is so unnecessarily aggressive," wrote @jenirunsonfumes.
Another TikToker named Meg (@_thewellnessdiaries) referred to the new feature as “unhinged” after receiving such suggestions as #weightgainperks and #unflatteringpics.
It seems human TikTokers aren’t the only ones being judged by the app. Even Noodle, the TikTok famous pug known for his “bones/no bones day” videos, fell victim to the app’s harsh criticism.
In Noodle’s case, however, TikTok didn’t pass judgment via the hashtags, but rather via the related search bar above his video.
In this search bar, the app populates a term or phrase based on what it thinks is being depicted in the video. When TikTok reviewed a photo of Noodle, the app generated the term “basketball,” likely inspired by the pug’s spherical shape.
“Are we body shaming pugs now? Is that what we’re doing?” Noodle’s human, Jon Graz, jokingly asked viewers.
Clearly, the app still has quite a few kinks to work out with its AI-generated hashtags and search terms.
In The Know by Yahoo reached out to TikTok for comment, but has not yet received a response.
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