TikTok rises to 4.4 stars after Google removes millions of negative reviews

Short video platform TikTok ascended to 4.4 stars from 1.2 stars surfaced last week. Google played a major role in improving the ratings by obliterating millions of one-star ratings and vile comments. Google is allowed to remove negative reviews and ratings under its comment posting guidelines, Gadgets 360 reported.

Without pointing at TikTok, a Google spokesperson told Gadgets 360 that the company takes corrective action to remove inappropriate ratings and comments when it considers incidents of spam abuse.

“Play Store ratings enable users to provide helpful feedback about their experience with apps and content, for the benefit of others to make informed decisions,” the spokesperson said in a statement emailed to Gadgets 360.

The report further revealed that there is a drop of around 80 lakh ratings from the Google Play Store.

The latest development emerges days after the short videos app faced a public backlash chiefly due to the controversy surrounding a video posted by a popular TikTok user Faizal Siddiqui, with hashtags including #IndiansAgainstTikTok surfacing on social media.

Unlike the change on Google Play, the ratings of TikTok on Apple App Store for its iOS version have not reflected a major difference in the past seven days. The app had an average rating of 3.5 stars last week that has been dropped to 3.4 stars.

It shows that Apple hasn't removed any ratings as they're grown from over 11 lakh to 12 lakh in the last one week's time. It appears that iPhone users have relatively not been a part of the brigading of TikTok.

Why negative ratings?

TikTok garnered negative ratings after a famous TikTok influencer Faizal Siddiqui posted a video that encouraged violence against women. This drew a huge backlash against the short video platform with a hashtag #IndiansAgainstTikTok trending on social media.

TikTok later pulled down the video and suspended the influencer’s account.