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AI deepfakes have become a headache for creators, and TikTok is finally stepping up to fight back. Social media consultant Matt Navarra spotted the platform quietly testing a new opt-in tool that hunts down AI-generated content mimicking a creator’s face, giving them the power to flag it directly.
TikTok US spokesperson Zachary Kizer confirmed to The Verge that the test is currently limited to a small group of US creators. This puts TikTok right on YouTube’s heels, which already expanded its own likeness detection tool to eligible creators over 18 after months of quiet testing, and even extended similar protections to celebrities and talent agencies earlier this year.
To fight deepfakes, TikTok wants a scan of your real face
TikTok’s AI likeness detection tool is optional, but creators who want to use it must first verify their identity through Jumio. That includes a real-time selfie and an ID check. According to Kizer, TikTok does not keep ID documents, while facial data is used only to match a creator’s likeness and identify possible unauthorized AI-generated content.
Once verification is complete, TikTok starts scanning AI-generated content that may feature the creator’s face or likeness. If it finds potential matches, the creator can review them and report any posts or accounts they believe are impersonating them.
Why does TikTok’s opt-in approach matter here?
Recent events have shown how quickly AI-generated likenesses can become controversial. Earlier this month, Meta launched Muse Image, letting anyone generate AI images using public Instagram photos, with every account opted in by default. Backlash was swift enough that Meta pulled the feature just three days later, admitting it missed the mark.
TikTok flips that script: verification comes first, participation is opt-in, and creators stay in control. With YouTube and TikTok now leading the way on this kind of protection, AI likeness detection is quickly becoming a tool creators expect from every major video platform.
