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Citizens Gavel, a civic tech organisation advocating for digital safety, has taken legal action against TikTok for failing to implement adequate safeguards against a disturbing trend which has emerged on the platform, shifting it away from its original purpose as a creative space into a hotspot for exploitative content involving minors.
According to Sylvester Agih, a Senior Legal Analyst at Citizens Gavel, the organisation has been monitoring TikTok’s transformation over time.
“Contrary to what TikTok as a platform is meant for, which is a place for creatives to show their talent or skills… we have observed a shift… where adult users would invite young girls to partake in certain inappropriate activities,” Agih stated.
He highlighted that this often involves minors being encouraged to engage in explicit behaviour on live streams.
Recognising the severity of the issue, Citizens Gavel initially reached out to TikTok two months ago, formally raising concerns and recommending stricter content moderation policies. Apart from taking down a few identified accounts, nothing else was done.
For Citizens Gavel, TikTok’s response was insufficient, amounting to what Agih described as merely “treating the symptoms, while leaving out the root cause.” As a result, the organisation has decided to escalate the matter legally.
“That is basically what prompted us to go to court… to get the court to make certain pronouncements, directing TikTok to put in place measures to check those gaps that we observed on the platform,” he affirmed.
Citizens’ Gavel’s move underscores the growing demand for accountability in the digital space. It ensures that platforms designed for entertainment and creativity do not become breeding grounds for harmful activities.
