TikTok accused of 'allowing hate speech and bullying' as Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Adele and Harry Styles songs pulled from platform

As of tomorrow, you'll no longer be able to use songs from the likes of Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, and Drake on TikTok.

This comes after a bitter falling out between the social media giant and the world's largest record company, Universal Music Group.

Universal has pulled the plug on extending its deal with TikTok, citing issues with the platforms ability to target 'the tidal wave of hate speech, bigotry, bullying and harassment'.

The deal runs out on 31 January, meaning from February onwards music from some of the world's biggest artists - including Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Adele, The Weeknd and The Beatles - will be absent from the platform.

Universal says it could not find agreement with TikTok when it came to three major issues, which it described as 'appropriate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of AI, and online safety for TikTok’s users'.

The record label even suggested TikTok tried to 'bully' the company into accepting a deal 'worth less' than the one expiring.

Currently, TikTok accounts for 1% of Universal’s total revenue.

Yui Mok/PA

In an open letter, Universal said: "TikTok makes little effort to deal with the vast amounts of content on its platform that infringe our artists’ music and it has offered no meaningful solutions to the rising tide of content adjacency issues, let alone the tidal wave of hate speech, bigotry, bullying and harassment on the platform.

"The only means available to seek the removal of infringing or problematic content (such as pornographic deepfakes of artists) is through the monumentally cumbersome and inefficient process which equates to the digital equivalent of 'Whack-a-Mole'.

"But when we proposed that TikTok takes similar steps as our other platform partners to try to address these issues, it responded first with indifference, and then with intimidation.

"As our negotiations continued, TikTok attempted to bully us into accepting a deal worth less than the previous deal, far less than fair market value and not reflective of their exponential growth.

"How did it try to intimidate us? By selectively removing the music of certain of our developing artists, while keeping on the platform our audience-driving global stars.

Hector Vivas/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

"TikTok’s tactics are obvious: use its platform power to hurt vulnerable artists and try to intimidate us into conceding to a bad deal that undervalues music and shortchanges artists and songwriters as well as their fans.

"We will never do that. We will always fight for our artists and songwriters and stand up for the creative and commercial value of music.

"We recognise the challenges that TikTok’s actions will cause, and do not underestimate what this will mean to our artists and their fans who, unfortunately, will be among those subjected to the near-term consequences of TikTok’s unwillingness to strike anything close to a market-rate deal and meaningfully address its obligations as a social platform.

"But we have an overriding responsibility to our artists to fight for a new agreement under which they are appropriately compensated for their work, on a platform that respects human creativity, in an environment that is safe for all, and effectively moderated.

"We honour our responsibilities with the utmost seriousness. Intimidation and threats will never cause us to shirk those responsibilities."

Peter Byrne/PA

TikTok, in a statement to Reuters, said that Universal's standpoint was 'false' and that the company's actions were not in the best interests of artists, songwriters and fans.

And in an open response of their own, the social media platform said: "It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters.

"Despite Universal's false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent.

"TikTok has been able to reach 'artist-first' agreements with every other label and publisher. Clearly, Universal's self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters and fans."

LADbible has approached both TikTok and Universal Music Group for further comment on the matter.