Current and former TikTok employees say the company profited from illegal child exploitation videos. TikTok disputes it. Parents should check settings now.
Current and former TikTok employees say the company profited from illegal videos of child sexual exploitation and did not properly respond when staff raised concerns internally. These are allegations. Nothing in the reporting shows a finding or ruling yet.
Employees say minors appeared in sexual content that viewers could pay to access, with the company earning money from it. That could be a financial crime. They also say users under 18 used loopholes to get around age limits and to stop parents from reviewing their activity. Staff say senior leaders knew, but their responses were inadequate.
Documents also show TikTok held back from surveying users' ages because it feared having to give the results to the Federal Trade Commission. Staff also raised concerns about young users being shown content about suicide and self-harm. Social media companies are required by law to report suspected child sexual abuse material.
Families with children or teens on TikTok are the most affected. Advertisers on the platform may also want to pay attention. Adults who do not use the app and have no children on it are not directly touched. The alert box above lists quick steps: parental controls, a talk with your kids, and reporting.
TikTok says the claims are "clearly cherry-picked at the behest of trial lawyers" and used to "inaccurately rewrite our history and mislead the public about our commitment to youth safety." It is not yet known whether any regulator will act or how the claims will be tested. Watch for TikTok's response and any official action.
The claims are unproven and TikTok denies them, but if your kids use the app, review their settings and talk with them this week.
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