Wiltshire 999s was banned from TikTok for sharing a story about a firearms incident – but don’t panic, you can follow our new account @wilts999s.
The social media platform’s high-tech algorithms automatically suspend accounts that display deadly weapons – and evidently, that applies to news content too.
Taking a closer look at TikTok’s policies confirms that users must not post content that “displays firearms, firearm accessories, ammunition, or explosive weapons”.
The post related to the conviction of a man from Cirencester who brandished an air pistol, threatening a professional drone pilot as he photographed a property that was for sale.
The result of this sentencing hearing was included alongside a video of the shocking incident – resulting in a permanent ban on the popular content-sharing platform.
Editor Daniel Jae Webb said: “We worked really hard to build a following on TikTok, but this acts as a harsh lesson.
“Despite only joining the platform about three weeks ago, we amassed nearly 20,000 likes and 300,000 views across just eight videos. There is a clear demand for our content.
“We have today re-joined TikTok with a new account – with the username @wilts999s – and hopefully, we can build our following up again.
“We are confident that the rules will be followed from now on; the majority of our news content can be posted without issue and is highly unlikely to breach policies.”
