What does #fakebody mean on TikTok?

There’s a new phrase circulating on TikTok but it’s for adult eyes only. 

While the app is full of all kinds of Gen Z slang, this trend is one that minors should avoid. People caption their videos with the term “fake body” on TikTok as a way to circumvent the app’s community guidelines. Here’s everything you need to know about the sneaky technique. 

What does “fake body” mean on TikTok? 

People use the term “fake body” in captions and hashtags to get around TikTok’s community guidelines. 

When someone is wearing revealing clothing or swimwear, TikTok often will qualify it as nudity. So it’s a way of sharing content, like thirst traps or provocative clothing, without violating the app’s rules about minor safety that prohibit nudity.

For example, a user’s footage of a swimsuit model walking down the runway might get pulled by TikTok’s algorithm when it’s just a fashion show.
Another person used the hashtag when they wore an inflatable suit of a wrestler that made her look shirtless.

For some reason labeling the videos “fake body” is supposed to prevent it from being considered nudity and getting removed by the algorithm. Typically you’ll see the phrase “fake body” accompanied by the yellow warning sign emoji. The hashtag #fakebody currently has 1.7 billion views.

It should go without saying, but the phrase is not always for PG content, so it’s best to steer minors clear of it. 

TikTok has strict community guidelines 

Because so many young people use the app, TikTok has many policies to protect minors. 

“We do not allow nudity, pornography, or sexually explicit content on our platform,” according to the community guidelines. “We do not tolerate activities that perpetuate the abuse, harm, endangerment, or exploitation of minors on TikTok.”

The app also enforces a language policy. The use of expletives and sexual language is prohibited. Creators tend to use softer language like “fork,” instead of the common obscenity. Any videos that TikTok believes violate its policies can be subject to immediate removal. 

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