Self-harm and suicide TikTok content recommended to 13-year-olds within minutes of signing up, investigation finds

Within 20 minutes, accounts set to 13 years were shown TikTok videos directly referencing self-harm and suicidal thoughts.

After an hour of scrolling, the algorithm predominantly displayed videos related to depression, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts.

TikTok made changes to remove seven out of ten example videos shared by Prime Time, addressing mental health content concerns.

TikTok's response emphasized that the experiment did not accurately represent real teens' experiences using the app.

Concerns about TikTok's impact on mental health have led to investigations by the European Commission and discussions in Ireland on regulating social media platforms for children.

Read at Irish Independent