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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Technology
Kevin Rawlinson

UNCOVERED: How tiktok s algorithm exploits the vulnerability of children - The Untold Story

A girl uses TikTok on a phone
‘The algorithm recognises vulnerability and, instead of seeing it as something it should be careful around, it sees it as a potential point of addiction,’ says Imran Ahmed of the Center for Countering Digital Hate. Photograph: Robin Utrecht/Rex/Shutterstock

It is the home of dance tutorial videos and viral comedy sketches. But it is also host to self-harm and eating disorder content, with an algorithm that has been called the “crack cocaine of social media”.

Now, the information commissioner has concluded that up to 1.4 million children under the age of 13 have been allowed access to TikTok, with the watchdog accusing the Chinese firm of not doing enough to check underage children were not using the app.

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