TikTok under investigation in UK over child safety measures
Ofcom has launched an investigation into whether TikTok is failing to protect children from harmful content.
By Sky News
Ofcom has launched an investigation into TikTok to determine whether the platform is failing to protect children from harmful content. The UK media watchdog is examining TikTok’s operations in the UK to assess if the company has adequate systems to prevent children from viewing harmful material.
The probe will specifically look at whether TikTok has measures to verify if a user is a child and sufficient processes to block harmful content from reaching them. This investigation follows a warning issued by Ofcom on 21 May 2026, when the regulator stated that TikTok and YouTube had not committed to meaningful steps to reduce harmful content shown to children.
In that earlier assessment, Ofcom said TikTok had failed to set out meaningful steps to protect British children. The probe comes as social media companies face increased pressure under the Online Safety Act to demonstrate they are safeguarding younger users.
Parents are being urged to check their children’s TikTok settings while the investigation proceeds. Experts recommend enabling Family Pairing to manage screen time, content preferences and privacy controls, and reviewing settings for direct messages, comments and account privacy.