TikTok is facing severe criticism after revelations that it profits from sexual livestreams involving teenagers as young as 15. A BBC investigation uncovered that young women in Kenya, some of whom began this activity as minors, use TikTok to advertise and negotiate payments for explicit content shared on other platforms. Despite TikTok’s ban on solicitation, moderators revealed that the company is aware of such activities but fails to take adequate action. TikTok reportedly takes a 70% cut from livestream transactions, raising concerns about its financial incentives to ignore exploitation.
In Kenya, TikTok Lives are a nightly phenomenon, with performers engaging in suggestive dances and using coded sexual slang to solicit payments. Viewers send emoji “gifts,” which can be converted into cash, as payment for both the livestreams and explicit content shared privately. Former moderators, like “Jo,” claim TikTok’s lax moderation and reliance on AI allow such exploitation to thrive. Jo estimates that 80% of flagged livestreams involve sexual content or advertising, yet TikTok’s policies fail to address local slang or subtle solicitations.
ChildFund Kenya warns that children as young as nine are participating in these activities, driven by poverty and lack of alternatives. Teenagers like “Esther,” who started at 15, spend hours nightly earning £30 daily to support their families. However, they often face exploitation from digital pimps who take a significant share of their earnings and pressure them to perform more frequently.
TikTok’s expansion into African markets has been marred by inadequate content moderation and enforcement. Despite Kenya’s government urging TikTok to improve moderation during a 2023 meeting with CEO Shou Zi Chew, little progress has been made. Moderators claim TikTok’s systems are ill-equipped to handle the scale of abuse, leaving vulnerable users at risk.
TikTok maintains a “zero tolerance” stance on exploitation, citing strict safety policies and partnerships with local experts. However, the platform’s actions—or lack thereof—suggest a troubling prioritization of profit over user safety. As the global outcry grows, TikTok must take immediate, transparent steps to protect its youngest and most vulnerable users from exploitation.
