Young teenagers on TikTok are being exposed to videos featuring women in suggestive poses and actions that, while not explicitly nude, closely mimic sexual behavior. These videos, commonly referred to by experts as “OnlyFans funnel content,” are intended to redirect viewers to paid adult websites such as OnlyFans and Fanfix, where more explicit material is available. Research conducted by Revealing Reality found that users as young as 14 or 15 were encountering such content in their feeds, raising concerns about the platform’s role in exposing minors to adult material.
Although TikTok’s guidelines prohibit direct links to platforms selling adult services, content creators typically use indirect methods to bypass these restrictions, including coded language and intermediary landing pages like Link.me. While adult TikTok users can access direct links to these pages in creators’ bios, users with child accounts do not see these links. However, once a minor searches for this type of content, TikTok’s algorithm tends to serve similar videos repeatedly, effectively populating their feed with adult-oriented material. Instagram has implemented stricter controls by blocking underage accounts from viewing certain profiles altogether. Despite these efforts, concerns remain regarding the effectiveness of these safety measures.
The issue extends beyond TikTok. On YouTube, for example, some ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) videos use whispering and tapping sounds purported to help relaxation, but certain clips occupy a “greyer area” in terms of appropriateness, complicating content moderation efforts.
Baroness Bertin, who led an independent government review of pornography, highlighted the risks posed by these young-appearing creators, noting that their content skirts close to legal boundaries and may inadvertently encourage inappropriate interest. Bertin emphasized the importance of enforcing recent legal changes that criminalize sexual depictions involving individuals below the age of consent, while calling for stronger, proactive regulation with quick content removal and human oversight. She also supported the impending social media ban for users under 16, set to take effect early next year.
Labour MP Jess Asato, a member of the education committee, echoed these concerns, noting that despite existing age restrictions on pornography, social media platforms continue to serve sexualized content to children. She advocated maintaining the social media ban as part of a broader child protection strategy and urged platforms to design systems that prevent algorithmic recommendations of sexualized content to minors.
Damon De Ionno, founder of Revealing Reality, pointed out that the algorithms currently enabling the spread of adult creator content to minors could be leveraged to block such material, urging platforms to utilize available technology to safeguard young users.
In response, TikTok reaffirmed its community guidelines prohibit sexualized behavior and inappropriate content, stating it had taken action against flagged accounts. YouTube similarly emphasized its commitment to user safety, indicating that it removes channels and content violating its rules on nudity and sexual content.
The findings highlight ongoing challenges faced by social media companies in preventing minors’ access to adult content, demonstrating a need for enhanced regulatory measures and more effective enforcement of existing policies.