Lawsuit Against TikTok Resulted in Removal of Tex-to-Speech Voice Feature
TikTok has quietly removed its text-to-speech voice feature following a recent lawsuit.
TikTok changed its text-to-speech feature and left many of us wondering what the reason was. There are many features included in an app for a short-term period according to the viral demands, and the same has been done in TikTok. This platform added a feature where users narrated their content in a robotic voice, but it changed the voice feature following a lawsuit, which involved a real-life woman behind the voice. You must have seen many of the viral videos where people added to the content of the text-to-speech robotic function, which is pretty similar to the Siri-like voice. However, users came to notice this week that the platform replaced the robotic voice feature with a more upbeat one.
The text-to-speech feature was officially offered last December as an accessibility feature, which made it easy for people to understand what is happening in the videos with the help of audio and text. The opportunity did not only end viewers’ trouble but also opened the door for creators to make videos without saying a word. The robotic function entered the headline with the focus of having a lawsuit filed against ByteDance, known as the parent company of TikTok.
The lawsuit involved a person behind the function who claimed that the company was utilizing the voice recordings of voice actor Bev Standing without acquiring permission. The voice actor is known to have recorded some English phrases for the Chinese Institutes of Acoustics, and those recordings were supposed to be put in use for translations. According to the reports, it is said that ByteDance allegedly acquired the recordings of Bev Standing via a contract with the institute. The voice actor Bev also shared the concern on how unfitting these videos with voice are creating a damaging impression of the creator’s brand. However, the company has not passed any statement or comment in the context of the lawsuit, which is known to be focused especially on English-speaking videos used via the North American version of the application.
According to the reports, the filed lawsuit has been the only couple of weeks, but TikTok has already released a new version of the text-to-speech voice function. TikTok released a new voice with a more bubbly and animated function, whereas the initial voice function was monotone. The videos uploaded before the change will still include initial voice, and to hear the newly introduced text-to-speech voice function, users will require to update the app.
A newer text-to-speech function directed to the safer route.
TikTok was fighting a legal action last year against the Trump administration, which created a huge mess to ban the app from being utilized in the United States. Considering these legal incidents, TikTok has been indulged in legal fights way more than anyone thought. However, TikTok managed to avoid the huge disaster of getting a ban in the United States, as the Biden administration took office. Still, the trouble does not end here, as it got involved in more legal issues. One of the lawsuits included an incident about the way the app assembles and utilizes the data of the underage user. TikTok did not disclose the real reason for change yet and has kept silent on this matter. However, it is very clear that the real reason for change lies within the lawsuit of Bev Standing.
It is most likely expected that the response of the company regarding the lawsuit will remain the same, and it seems like the claim has been accepted by the company. In addition, any other lawsuit against the company will be unable to recover the image and PR situation of TikTok. Regardless of lawsuits, TikTok is going to remain one of the popular video-sharing platforms, but it will be wise to avoid upcoming disasters.
META- TikTok changed its text-to-speech voice feature after facing a lawsuit. Here lies the real reason why TikTok removed its robotic voice function from its app.
Hello, I am Blanche Harris. Being an online security expert, I love to make people aware of cyber threats and share helpful information to them regarding them. Download, install and activate your office setup at office.com/setup.
Comments
Post a Comment