A human rights campaign group claims TikTok recommends pornography and sexualised clips to children. Researchers created fake child accounts, turned on safety settings, and still received explicit search prompts. These included clips showing masturbation simulations and pornographic sex. TikTok says it acted immediately after being alerted and insists it prioritises safe, age-appropriate experiences for young users.
Fake accounts reveal explicit content
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 further 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, pornography appeared hidden inside ordinary-looking clips to bypass moderation.
Campaigners issue warning
Ava Lee from Global Witness described the findings as 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 its safety measures
Researchers reported their findings earlier this year. TikTok said it removed the flagged content and implemented fixes. But when Global Witness repeated the test in late July, sexual videos appeared again. TikTok says it has more than 50 safety features 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 tools and removed additional harmful content.
Children’s Codes raise the bar
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 took 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?”
