A human rights group claims TikTok recommends pornography and sexualised videos to children. Researchers created fake child accounts, activated safety settings, and still received explicit search prompts. These included clips of simulated masturbation and pornographic sex. TikTok says it acted quickly once notified and insists it prioritises safe, age-appropriate experiences for young users.
Fake child accounts reveal hidden dangers
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 advertises 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 most extreme, explicit pornography appeared hidden inside ordinary clips to evade 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 studies how technology affects democracy, human rights, and climate change. The organisation first encountered TikTok’s explicit content during unrelated research in April.
TikTok defends safety measures
Researchers reported the issue earlier this year. TikTok said it removed the flagged content and introduced corrections. But when Global Witness repeated the test in late July, sexual videos appeared again. TikTok says it offers more than 50 safety features for teenagers. It claims nine out of ten violating clips are removed before being viewed. Following the report, TikTok said it upgraded search tools and removed additional harmful content.
New regulations raise the stakes
On 25 July, the Children’s Codes under the Online Safety Act came into force. Platforms must enforce strict age checks and prevent children from accessing pornography. Algorithms must also block content linked to self-harm, suicide, or eating disorders. Global Witness conducted a second study after the codes came into effect. Ava Lee urged regulators to act, stressing children’s online safety must now be enforced.
Users express concern
During the investigation, researchers observed user reactions. Some questioned why sexualised search suggestions appeared. One wrote: “can someone explain to me what is up with my search recs pls?” Another asked: “what’s wrong with this app?”
