TikTok, a Chinese app and one of the most influential social media platforms, has been found to push sexually explicit content to minors while blocking wholesome Christian games.
A recent investigative report by Global Witness, a reputable nonprofit organization based in the United Kingdom, exposes alarming findings about TikTok’s practices. Researchers, posing as 13-year-olds, created seven new accounts on TikTok UK using factory-reset phones with no search histories. They activated the app’s “restricted mode” feature, which, according to TikTok’s own guidelines, is meant to limit exposure to explicit content.
Shockingly, on three of the accounts, the algorithm suggested pornographic material immediately, even before any searches were conducted. All seven accounts soon “encountered pornographic content just a small number of clicks after setting up the account. This ranged from content showing women flashing to hardcore porn showing penetrative sex.” Disturbingly, just a handful of clicks led to an alarming increase in both the quantity and explicitness of suggestions.
This troubling evidence shows that, even with “restricted mode” enabled, TikTok’s algorithm continues to promote pornography to children as young as 13. Researchers have found that the experiences reported by their test accounts are not isolated incidents. Other TikTok users have also voiced concerns and shared screenshots showing that TikTok’s search recommendations include sexualized content, even without any related user searches. These findings call into question the effectiveness of TikTok’s content restriction measures.
This issue is particularly alarming given that a separate study in the U.K. revealed that, despite TikTok’s minimum age requirement of 13, many children aged 5 to 11 have profiles on the platform and use the app frequently. These children, dubbed “TikTots,” are at risk of frequent exposure to inappropriate content suggested by the platform’s algorithm.
After Global Witness reported its findings to TikTok, the company asserted that it had eliminated the problematic content and search suggestions identified by the group. However, researchers continued to notice the same troubling issues in their test accounts months later. As a result, Global Witness felt compelled to publish its report online to inform the public and regulators.
Censoring Christian Content
In addition to pushing pornography to minors, what is equally concerning is TikTok’s aggressive censorship of Christian content, according to Brent Dusing, CEO of TruPlay. His company provides Bible-based mobile games for all ages, particularly targeting users between 5 and 12 years old. TruPlay aims to offer fun, safe, and uplifting materials filled with God’s teachings, with the goal of “turning game time into God time” (see examples here and here).
TruPlay began advertising on TikTok in 2023, a decision that seemed obvious given that TikTok is one of the most popular and influential social media platforms globally, boasting nearly 2 billion users as of July 2025. TikTok ads are also highly effective, with an average conversion rate — measured by direct in-app purchases and live commerce — of nearly 5 percent, surpassing many traditional e-commerce platforms.
Since December 2023, TruPlay has encountered biweekly rejections of its advertisements from TikTok. The platform asserts that these ads “may violate TikTok’s advertising policies by featuring or promoting sensitive religious content.” Specifically, TikTok refers to its policy that prohibits ads from displaying images of God (any god). Yet, TikTok continues to permit advertisements for other video games, such as Diablo and Roblox, which promote violence and satanic imagery to young audiences without restriction. This inconsistency raises important questions about the fairness and impartiality of content moderation on the platform.
In March 2025, TikTok suspended the account of TruPlay, which was only restored after the company appealed the decision. However, Dusing mentioned that TikTok continues to shadow-ban many of TruPlay’s advertisements. For example, a screenshot of a Diablo ad featuring a devil received between 1 and 10 million unique views within a few days. In contrast, a TikTok ad for TruPlay featuring Riley Gaines, a well-known women’s rights activist, attracted fewer than 1,000 unique views. This disparity indicates that TruPlay’s ads have a limited reach to their target audience, resulting in millions of dollars in lost revenue and forcing the company to allocate more resources toward marketing efforts — efforts that are similarly hampered by Google’s opaque shadow-banning practices.
Dismantling a Christian Worldview
Dusing argues that the most logical explanation for TikTok’s censorship of TruPlay is that “TikTok’s algorithm is designed to dismantle the Christian worldview.” This assertion does not seem farfetched, given that TikTok is a product of Communist China, a regime infamous for its persecution of religious individuals, particularly Christians. Furthermore, ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, actively supports Beijing’s objectives, which include the suppression of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang.
How can Americans effectively safeguard minors from the dangers of TikTok? Despite being subjected to numerous investigations and fines since its 2016 launch (see examples here and here), it’s unlikely that TikTok will alter its algorithm anytime soon. Moreover, the U.S. government is not inclined to ban the app. Recently, President Donald Trump signed an executive order regarding TikTok, finalizing a deal he discussed with Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping during a phone call.
This agreement will enable a consortium of American companies to manage TikTok user data within the U.S. But, according to The Wall Street Journal, “ByteDance would copy the algorithm it uses to recommend content to users and then lease it to the new [US] entity.” This means that while the U.S. assumes some control, ByteDance remains in command of the algorithm, leaving us at a significant disadvantage. It’s like purchasing a home but realizing the previous owner still holds the key to the front door. How secure is that?
It falls on American parents to take proactive measures to protect their children from TikTok’s harmful content. Avoid allowing minors to use the TikTok app on their devices. Instead, inspire them to participate in enriching activities like reading engaging books, enjoying outdoor adventures, or playing wholesome games that instill Christian teaching and positive values — just like those offered by TruPlay.