TikTok ‘directs child accounts to pornographic content within a few clicks’

TikTok has directed children’s accounts to pornographic content within a small number of clicks, according to a report by a campaign group. Researchers found TikTok suggested sexualised and explicit search terms to seven test accounts that were created on clean phones with no search history. The terms suggested under the “you may like” feature included “very very rude skimpy outfits” and “very rude babes” – and then escalated to terms such as “hardcore pawn [sic] clips”. After a “small number of clicks” the researchers encountered pornographic content ranging from women flashing to penetrative sex. For one account the process took two clicks after logging on: one click on the search bar and then one on the suggested search.