A new report claims TikTok pushes pornography and sexualised videos to minors. Researchers created fake child accounts, activated safety settings, and still received explicit search prompts. These included videos showing masturbation simulations and pornographic sex. TikTok says it acted immediately once alerted and insists it prioritises safe, age-appropriate experiences for young users.
Fake accounts uncover explicit material
In July and August, Global Witness researchers set up four TikTok profiles. They posed as 13-year-olds using false birth dates. The platform did not request additional verification. Investigators enabled TikTok’s “restricted mode”. The company markets this feature as protection against sexual or mature content. Despite this, the accounts received sexualised search suggestions in the “you may like” section. These led to videos of women flashing underwear, exposing breasts, and simulating masturbation. At the extreme, explicit pornography appeared hidden in ordinary-looking clips to bypass moderation.
Global Witness issues warning
Ava Lee from Global Witness called the findings a “huge shock”. She said TikTok not only fails to protect children but actively recommends harmful material. Global Witness usually investigates how technology affects democracy, human rights, and climate change. The group first discovered TikTok’s explicit content during unrelated research in April.
TikTok defends safety measures
Researchers reported the findings earlier this year. TikTok said it removed the flagged content and introduced fixes. But when Global Witness repeated the test in late July, sexual videos appeared again. TikTok says it offers more than 50 safety tools for teenagers. It claims nine out of ten violating clips are removed before anyone views them. After the latest report, the company said it upgraded search functions and removed additional harmful material.
Children’s Codes raise accountability
On 25 July, the Children’s Codes under the Online Safety Act came into force. Platforms must enforce strict age verification and prevent minors from accessing pornography. Algorithms must also block content linked to self-harm, suicide, or eating disorders. Global Witness conducted a second study after the rules came into effect. Ava Lee urged regulators to act, stressing children’s online safety must now be enforced.
Users question sexualised suggestions
During the investigation, researchers observed TikTok users’ reactions. Some expressed confusion at sexualised search prompts. One wrote: “can someone explain to me what is up with my search recs pls?” Another asked: “what’s wrong with this app?”
