TikTok has implemented new limits on targeted teen ads in the app, as well as other controls over data, along with new elements of disclosure - all to add more transparency to its ad-targeting process.
 
The biggest adjustment is an update to its ad targeting options for teens: reaching teens in the U.S. through personalised targeting and campaign selection is no longer available.
 
TikTok said

"Advertisers will now only be able to reach teens using a few broad targeting options, such as location, language, and device-related information."

That way, teen user data won't be misused by advertisers, which may mislead them by the same influence.
Meta had done the same thing several years ago to prevent teen users from being targeted by its same restrictions on collection of personal data from young users.

Now, TikTok is catching up, though with around 25% of its audience aged under 20, the impact here could be more significant.

I mean you still reach these users on broader trends, which is a significant driver of general teen engagement either way. But it's another consideration in your TikTok marketing process.

Another way in which TikTok is taking the controls for users is over their logged interests in the app, relevant to the content of the ads they're served.

"In other words, users get the ability to see more or fewer ads concerning, for example, their interests in "Outdoor Sports" or "Racing Games." You can view and customize the ad topics that TikTok has determined are relevant to your interests.

It's also rolling in a new "Disconnect Advertisers" feature, which allows users to restrict any future off-TikTok data shared by specified advertisers from being used for serving personalized ads.
TikTok has also finally rolled out its "Clear My Activity," which allows users to disconnect any off-TikTok activity data shared by ad partners that is linked to their account.
And lastly, TikTok's also including new AI disclosure requirements for ad partners:

"We're now giving advertisers the option to toggle a self-disclosure for an ad as being AI-generated using the TikTok Ads Manager and are then allowing users of the TikTok app to indicate commercial content-paid ads-through an AIGC label placed on the advertisement."
Now, these AI avatars, huge in the Chinese market, must be labeled accordingly, and so the user's awareness that he is indeed interacting with a digital persona and not an actual individual is guaranteed.

And again, after its hit in China, TikTok expects that new characters of AI will provide a gateway to increasing shopping activity within the app. Not all Asian market trends convert, though, and it is fascinating to wait for the moment to see how consumers of the West react to such in-stream.

I mean, we already saw real humans acting like robots gain millions of fans within the app. Will actual robots do as well?

From July 1st, the new rules pertaining to data control and ad restriction on TikTok came into effect.