TikTok's New Guidelines: Green Screen Ban and Comment Crackdown Spark Creator Outcry

TikTok's New Guidelines Crack Down on Green Screens and Negative Comments TikTok, the popular short-form video platform, has implemented new community guidelines effective May 20th, 2025, causing significant concern among creators. These changes prohibit the use of green screens and penalize creators for responding to negative comments. The platform's goal is to foster a kinder online environment, but the impact on creators' monetization and content creation is substantial. "They don't want you using green screens anymore," says Kelli Hollis Official, an actress, director, and producer who shared her insights in a recent video. This restriction, along with the penalty for responding to negative comments, is causing frustration among creators who rely on these tools to engage with their audience and earn income. The new guidelines also include a review of past content to ensure compliance. This means creators could face penalties for videos that violate the updated rules, even if they were posted before the changes were implemented. This retroactive application of the rules adds another layer of complexity and uncertainty for creators. While TikTok aims to improve the platform's environment, the new guidelines highlight the ongoing challenges of balancing freedom of expression with the need to maintain a positive community experience. The impact of these changes on creators' livelihoods and the overall creative landscape of TikTok remains to be seen.