What Does the Phrase “Fake Body” Mean on TikTok?

PDF download Download Article
Learn how TikTokers are cheating the censoring system
PDF download Download Article

You’re doing your daily TikTok scroll when you stumble across a video of a woman in a bikini captioned #fakebody . But her body looks anything but fake—why isn’t she owning it? On TikTok, “fake body” doesn’t mean the user’s body isn’t real; it means they’re trying to trick the algorithm. Here’s everything you need to know about this popular TikTok slang term.

Section 1 of 2:

What does “fake body” mean?

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/77\/What-Does-Fake-Body-Mean-on-Tiktok-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-What-Does-Fake-Body-Mean-on-Tiktok-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/77\/What-Does-Fake-Body-Mean-on-Tiktok-Step-1.jpg\/v4-728px-What-Does-Fake-Body-Mean-on-Tiktok-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    TikTok has some pretty strict rules when it comes to nudity. The social media app’s censoring system is programmed to flag and report any video that captures nudity or partial nudity, including videos of people wearing bathing suits. [1] Many users will caption videos showing partial nudity with “fake body,” “⚠️ FAKE BODY ⚠️,” or “#fakebody” to try and throw off the algorithm’s censoring system. [2]
    • “Fake body” doesn’t necessarily mean the body in the video is fake—it can be very real, but an AI program or bot might not know that.
    • Think of it like a cheat code. Typing “fake body” in the video’s captions, description, or comments can trick censorship so a video with partial nudity isn’t taken down or flagged.
    • Keep in mind that this cheat isn’t foolproof. TikTok has censorship for a reason, and full nudity is never tolerated.
    • TikTok detects violations in their guidelines by using automated and human evaluations. [3] This means that an AI program or human being could flag a video.
    2. Advertisement
Section 2 of 2:

TikTok’s Censoring Guidelines

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/46\/What-Does-Fake-Body-Mean-on-Tiktok-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-What-Does-Fake-Body-Mean-on-Tiktok-Step-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/46\/What-Does-Fake-Body-Mean-on-Tiktok-Step-2.jpg\/v4-728px-What-Does-Fake-Body-Mean-on-Tiktok-Step-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Believe it or not, when it comes to censorship, TikTok is one of the strictest social media sites out there. The popular app’s community guidelines state, “We do not allow nudity…sheer and partially see-through clothing is not considered covered.” [4]
    • According to TikTok, nudity is defined as “showing intimate body parts that prevailing cultural norms indicate should be fully covered.”
    • There are some exceptions when it comes to nudity; however, this is limited to “medical treatment, educational purposes, and culturally accepted practices.”

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      • If you think your content on TikTok was flagged or taken down by mistake, you can appeal the decision by tapping the “Appeal” button under the video’s “More data” information. [5]
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • Don’t agree with TikTok’s censorship guidelines? Contact TikTok to get support and express your concerns.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      What Does WYA Mean? Snapchat, Texting, and More
      How to
      Watch TikTok Content Without Having to Install the App
      How to
      Find Out Who Owns an Instagram Account
      3 Simple Ways to Tell if Someone Has Snapchat Plus
      What Does <3 Mean on Social Media?
      What Happens When You Block Someone on IG: Will They Know?
      Explaining Whether You Look Like Your Inverted or Mirror Image
      What Does "IMK" Mean Over Text and on Social Media?
      How to
      React When Someone Blocks You
      How to
      See Deleted Tweets of Your Own or Others
      Simple Ways to Unfollow on TikTok: Unfollowing Limits & Fixes
      8 Easy Ways to Fix Instagram Invite Collaborator Not Showing
      What Does “GYATT” Mean? Plus, When & How to Use It
      100 Cute, Funny, and Hype Comments for Social Media Posts
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.dictionary.com/e/tiktok-slang-words/
      2. ↑ https://www.intheknow.com/post/fake-body-tiktok/
      3. ↑ https://support.tiktok.com/en/safety-hc/account-and-user-safety/content-violations-and-bans
      4. ↑ https://www.tiktok.com/community-guidelines/en/sensitive-mature-themes/
      5. ↑ https://support.tiktok.com/en/safety-hc/account-and-user-safety/content-violations-and-bans

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 7,041 times.

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement