Note that this report is intended for an adult audience and contains sexually suggestive content
As featured in The Times, our new report shows how mainstream platforms expose children to sexual content that mimics pornography, and directs users towards paid-for sexual content on platforms like OnlyFans
In a TikTok advert released in January 2026, a girl uses short-form videos to revise for her biology exam. When the question comes up in the exam, TikTok’s educational content helps her remember the answer.
It is an appealing picture of what social media can offer children. And it is true that this content exists. Children can find useful, funny and informative videos on social media.
But it is far removed from what we see when we examine children’s real online lives.
In our work, we examine what children actually see by analysing watch histories, reviewing screen recordings and observing them as they scroll. The contrast between the platform presented to parents and policymakers, and the one experienced by children, can be stark.
For example, in our recent research, Infinite Scroll, we saw sexualised videos appearing in the TikTok feeds of 14- to 16-year-olds. Some of these videos closely mimicked pornography – creators simulating sexual acts directed at the viewer, or giving instructions on masturbation – while appearing to stay just within the platform’s guidelines.
The TikTok promoted to the public vs. the TikTok they don’t show you
Use up and down arrow keys to resize the meta box pane.
Sexualised content is difficult to research. When it appears in children’s feeds, while under observation, they often swipe past it quickly and are reluctant to discuss it. In Infinite Scroll, however, analysing watch-history data that TikTok holds on each user allowed us to see the kinds of sexualised content TikTok was serving to children – effectively giving us insight into what the platform itself knows about these children’s viewing habits. We were then able to investigate the relevant creators and content further using research avatars.
Looking more closely at the creators behind these videos, we found that many were using mainstream social media platforms as a funnel – directing users towards paid adult content on platforms such as OnlyFans.
But it’s not just TikTok. The more we looked, the more we found. Creators are also sailing close to the wind on Instagram and YouTube, with similar content promoting paid for intimate services.
Read our latest report to find out how creators are using mainstream social media platforms to promote paid sexual content.
