.png){kind=logo}
TikTok is facing growing scrutiny in the UK over concerns involving child safety controls and AI-generated shopping videos. Ofcom has opened a formal investigation into whether the platform uses effective systems to identify children and protect them from harmful content.
The investigation focuses on TikTok’s use of ‘age inference,’ which estimates a user’s age from activity on the app. At the same time, brands and creators are raising concerns about AI-generated product videos on TikTok Shop. The two disputes have placed TikTok’s safety rules and content controls under closer review.
Ofcom said it has ‘serious doubts’ about TikTok’s ability to identify users who are under 18. The regulator believes the platform’s age inference system may fail to detect many children who provide false birth dates or bypass existing restrictions.
Age inference reviews details such as the videos a person watches and the accounts they interact with. However, Ofcom said the method does not appear in its guidance as a highly effective age-checking system. Kate Davies, Ofcom’s group director for strategy and research, said: “We have serious doubts about them, and so we have launched an investigation into TikTok.”
The UK Online Safety Act requires platforms to use effective age checks when children may encounter harmful material. Ofcom will examine whether TikTok has taken suitable steps to identify young users and limit their access to restricted content.
TikTok said it strictly enforces age-based experiences through platform rules and advanced technology. A company spokesperson said TikTok is ‘confident’ that it meets its duties under the Online Safety Act. The company also said it has invested billions in safety since entering the UK market eight years ago.
Ofcom can take enforcement action if its investigation finds that TikTok has broken UK online safety rules. The regulator may issue a fine of up to £18 million or 10% of TikTok’s qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever amount is higher.
The investigation follows wider regulatory action against websites and online platforms that fail to protect children. Ofcom has already examined age controls used by adult-content services. Its latest action shows that social media platforms now face similar checks under the law.
Meanwhile, child safety groups have called for wider scrutiny of TikTok’s recommendation systems. Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, accused the platform of failing to prevent children from seeing harmful material.
TikTok has rejected claims that its controls are too weak. It said users are placed into age-appropriate experiences until its systems identify them as adults. The company also blocks account creation when users enter a birth date showing that they are under 13.
TikTok Shop also faces questions over AI-generated videos that promote products through virtual models. TikTok’s tools allow sellers and affiliates to create computer-generated clips and earn commissions when those videos produce sales.
Some creators say the automated videos compete with reviews made by people who own and test the products. Affiliate creator Rosemarie Soma said she produces advertisements using physical products. She said it is ‘very frustrating’ when AI videos receive advertising support and generate sales.
SharkNinja has banned affiliates from using TikTok’s AI Video Maker to promote its products. The company warned that affiliates using such content could lose their commissions. Chief commercial officer Neil Shah said SharkNinja wants consumers to see real products used by real people.
Rare Beauty has faced a similar problem after an affiliate posted AI-generated promotional videos without an official partnership. The company said it does not work with AI-generated content, although its products remain available through TikTok’s open affiliate system.
TikTok Shop sales in the United States are expected to reach $23.41 billion this year, according to eMarketer. Its affiliate network has grown from 2.3 million creators in 2024 to 11.3 million this year, according to Charm.io. The expansion gives brands wider reach, while open affiliate access also makes unauthorized AI product videos harder to control.
Also Read: How Social Media Algorithms Work on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok
