TikTok will add an epilepsy warning to photosensitive videos

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

TikTok is adding a new feature that will help people who have epilepsy to avoid potentially dangerous photosensitive content. The short video platform already warns creators if their uploads contain effects that could trigger photosensitive epilepsy, but now anyone who encounters an example in their feed will get an alert that allows them to opt out of viewing such content in the future. There’ll also be a toggle in the app’s accessibility settings.

The Epilepsy Foundation of America says that 1 in 26 people in the US will develop epilepsy at some point, with a tenth of people being affected by seizures. Video content that involves flashing lights and colors can trigger seizures, so it’s important for people to be able to control what...