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Per findings from a recent investigation, TikTok has been discovered to guide profiles of minors to explicit material within a small number of clicks.

Testing Approach

Global Witness set up simulated profiles using a birthdate of a 13-year-old and enabled the app's "restricted mode", which is designed to limit exposure to inappropriate content.

Study authors discovered that TikTok suggested inappropriate and adult-themed search terms to seven test accounts that were created on new devices with no previous activity.

Troubling Search Prompts

Search phrases proposed under the "recommended for you" feature contained "extremely revealing clothing" and "explicit content featuring women" – and then escalated to terms such as "explicit adult videos".

In three cases of the accounts, the sexualized searches were suggested immediately.

Rapid Access to Explicit Content

Within minimal interaction, the investigators encountered pornographic content ranging from exposure to explicit intercourse.

The organization claimed that the content attempted to evade moderation, usually by displaying the content within an harmless image or video.

Regarding one profile, the process took two clicks after signing in: one click on the search bar and then another on the recommended term.

Legal Framework

The climate organization, whose mandate includes examining digital platforms' effect on public safety, said it conducted multiple testing phases.

The first group occurred preceding the enforcement of child protection rules under the UK's Online Safety Act on 25 July, and another after the rules took effect.

Alarming Results

Researchers stated that several pieces of content showed someone who seemed to be below the age of consent and had been sent to the Internet Watch Foundation, which monitors exploitative content.

The campaign group asserted that the video platform was in violation of the digital protection law, which obligates digital platforms to prevent children from viewing harmful content such as pornography.

Government Position

An official representative for Ofcom, which is responsible for regulating the legislation, said: "We acknowledge the research behind this study and will review its conclusions."

Ofcom's codes for following the law specify that tech companies that carry a medium or high risk of displaying dangerous material must "configure their algorithms to filter out inappropriate videos from young users' timelines.

TikTok's content guidelines forbid adult videos.

TikTok's Statement

The video platform stated that upon receiving information from Global Witness, it had taken down the violating content and introduced modifications to its recommendation system.

"As soon as we were made aware of these claims, we acted promptly to examine the issue, take down videos that violated our policies, and implement enhancements to our recommendation system," commented a official speaker.