TikTok employees warned management about risks to children — The Verge

Former TikTok employees said in court testimony that they repeatedly warned the platform's management about risks to children's safety. The Verge reports, citing court materials obtained by NPR, that employees were dissatisfied with executives' response to their concerns.

Complaints about content on TikTok Live

The materials concern, in particular, minors who bypassed age restrictions and also took part in so-called transactional sexual content. These are cases in which minors undressed during TikTok Live broadcasts in exchange for digital gifts that can be converted into real money.

Regan Maher, who held senior positions in TikTok's safety and investigations division in 2021–2024, said she informed then-TikTok CEO V Pappas about the prevalence of such content. According to her, the company was aware of concerns about sexual exploitation even before Forbes published an article about the issue in 2022.

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Algorithmic risks

Another testimony was provided by former TikTok safety chief Eric Han. He said that as early as 2020, he raised concerns about harmful algorithmic “rabbit holes.” In an internal report, he described their impact on suicidal thoughts and behavior as a real propagation effect.

Han also stated that TikTok did not warn parents about the potential risks of their children's use of the platform. According to him, he stressed that the safety of minors is an urgent issue that needs to be addressed effectively.

Lawsuits against social media companies

The previously undisclosed testimony was filed in federal court in March as part of consolidated proceedings launched in 2022. They cover hundreds of lawsuits whose plaintiffs allege that TikTok, Meta, Snap, and Google knew about the harm social platforms cause to children but did not disclose these risks.