TikTok has removed over 17 million videos across the MENA region in the third quarter of 2025 as part of its ongoing efforts to maintain a safe online environment for users. According to its Community Guidelines Enforcement Report, the platform took down 17,410,066 videos for violating rules between July and September, reflecting a combination of automated detection systems and human review. In the UAE alone, over one million posts were removed, with nearly 95 percent of violative content taken down within 24 hours of being uploaded.
The platform also took action against inappropriate livestreams and hosts, banning 73,702 LIVE hosts and interrupting 168,205 livestreams across the region for guideline violations. TikTok’s approach involves both technological tools and human oversight, allowing the platform to respond quickly to emerging issues while handling appeals and consulting external experts where necessary. These measures have gained increased significance as governments in the region implement new regulations, including the UAE’s Child Digital Safety Law, which sets age-based restrictions to protect minors from potentially harmful content. During the same period, the platform removed over 22 million suspected accounts belonging to users under the age of 13 globally.
Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, Iraq, and Lebanon were among the countries where TikTok applied a highly proactive moderation strategy. In Saudi Arabia, 3,861,844 videos were removed, with nearly 97 percent of violative content deleted within 24 hours. Egypt saw the removal of 3,024,039 videos, achieving a proactive enforcement rate of 99.6 percent and 95.8 percent of content removed within one day. Additionally, 197,881 LIVE hosts were banned in Egypt, and 834,242 livestreams were interrupted. In Morocco, 792,737 videos were removed, 40,904 LIVE hosts were banned, and 112,417 livestreams were disrupted, while Iraq saw over 7.4 million videos removed, with more than 295,000 LIVE hosts banned and 1.29 million livestreams interrupted. Lebanon recorded 1,257,406 video removals alongside 15,865 LIVE host bans and 77,820 livestream disruptions.
TikTok has also emphasized LIVE monetization enforcement to maintain safe and high-quality streaming content. During the third quarter of 2025, the platform issued warnings, demonetized 2,107,177 LIVE sessions, and took action against 3,914,684 LIVE creators internationally for violating monetization and content guidelines. According to the company, combining automated moderation with human judgment ensures that unsafe or inappropriate content is detected quickly while supporting creators who comply with platform rules.
The report reinforces TikTok’s long-term commitment to fostering a secure environment where creativity can flourish safely. By proactively removing harmful content, enforcing age restrictions, and monitoring LIVE streams, the platform seeks to balance engagement with user protection. This approach aligns with ongoing global concerns around social media exposure for minors and the spread of dangerous challenges online. TikTok’s enforcement data demonstrates the company’s ability to implement region-specific moderation strategies while maintaining a consistent focus on user safety, responsible content creation, and compliance with emerging regulations in the MENA region.
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