Pakistan, Oct. 3 -- LONDON - TikTok is under renewed scrutiny after a human rights campaign group revealed that the platform's algorithm recommended pornography and highly sexualized content to accounts registered as children.

Researchers from Global Witness created fake accounts posing as 13-year-olds in late July and early August, with safety settings and "restricted mode" activated. Despite these measures, the accounts were shown explicit search suggestions leading to sexualized videos, including simulated masturbation and, in extreme cases, full pornographic films of penetrative sex.

Global Witness said the findings were a "huge shock", accusing TikTok of actively pushing harmful content to minors rather than failing to block it. "T...