🔗 Share this article

As reported by a fresh inquiry, TikTok has been discovered to steer children's accounts to explicit material in just a couple of steps.

Research Methodology

A campaign organization created test accounts using a 13-year-old's birth date and activated the platform's content restriction feature, which is designed to restrict exposure to adult-oriented content.

Study authors found that TikTok proposed inappropriate and adult-themed search terms to the simulated accounts that were created on unused smartphones with no search history.

Alarming Recommendation Features

The terms recommended under the "you may like" feature included "very very rude skimpy outfits" and "inappropriate female imagery" – and then escalated to keywords such as "hardcore pawn [sic] clips".

In three cases of the accounts, the adult-oriented recommendations were proposed instantly.

Quick Path to Pornography

Within minimal interaction, the researchers came across adult videos including revealing content to explicit intercourse.

The research group reported that the content tried to bypass filters, often by displaying the video within an benign visual or video.

Regarding one profile, the process took two clicks after signing in: one tap on the search function and then a second on the recommended term.

Regulatory Context

Global Witness, whose mandate includes examining digital platforms' effect on public safety, said it conducted multiple testing phases.

The first group occurred before the implementation of safeguarding regulations under the United Kingdom's digital protection law on 25 July, and another subsequent to the rules took effect.

Concerning Discoveries

The organization stated that two videos showed someone who appeared to be under 16 years old and had been sent to the online safety group, which tracks exploitative content.

Global Witness asserted that the video platform was in breach of the Online Safety Act, which requires social media firms to stop children from encountering dangerous material such as adult material.

Official Reaction

A communications officer for Ofcom, which is responsible for regulating the law, stated: "We appreciate the work behind this investigation and will analyze its conclusions."

Ofcom's codes for complying with the act indicate that online services that present a substantial threat of showing harmful content must "adjust their systems to remove inappropriate videos from children's feeds.

The platform's rules prohibit pornographic content.

Platform Response

The social media company said that following notification from Global Witness, it had removed the offending videos and made changes to its search recommendations.

"Upon learning of these allegations, we took immediate action to investigate them, take down videos that contravened our rules, and introduce upgrades to our recommendation system," stated a spokesperson.