TikTok
Reporting Illegal Content

The EU Digital Services Act requires that platforms like TikTok put in place mechanisms to enable reporting of suspected illegal content.

How to report illegal content?

  • To report suspected illegal content in your TikTok app:
    • 1. Go to the video/comment/LIVE or other content that you want to report.
    • 2. Either press and hold on the video/comment/LIVE or tap the share icon as appropriate. Tap share or 3-dot icons to report other content.
    • 3. Select Report and then select Report illegal content from the list.
    • 4. Select the relevant category of illegal content from the list, and follow the instructions provided.
  • To report suspected illegal content on the TikTok website:
    • 1. Go to the video/comment/LIVE or other content that you want to report.
    • 2. Tap the 3-dot icon which is included at the top in videos. Then select Report.
    • 3. Select Report illegal content from the list.
    • 4. Select the relevant category of illegal content from the list, and follow the instructions provided.

See below to learn more about the categories of illegal content.

Requirements when reporting illegal content

  • To help us properly review your report and assess whether the content is illegal, the following information must be provided as part of the report:
    • Select country: You must select the country where you think the content is illegal.
    • Relevant law: While not required to file a report, if you are able to do so, we ask you to provide details of the law that you think the content violates. We ask that you be as specific as possible to allow us to properly assess your report.
    • Reasons: We ask you to clearly explain why you think the content violates the law. Again, we ask that you be as specific as possible to allow us to properly assess your report.

*Reporting content as illegal may have serious consequences. When you report content as illegal, you must be specific and provide supporting evidence to allow us to make an informed decision. If the report does not contain enough information for TikTok to clearly assess whether the content is illegal, we will reject the report.

What happens after you report illegal content?

  • We first review the reported content to check if it violates our policies (such as our Community Guidelines), and if it does, we might remove the content from TikTok globally.
  • If we do not remove the reported content globally, we will then check to make sure the report contains sufficient information to allow us to properly assess the illegality of the reported content. If the report is incomplete (for example, it does not provide enough information for TikTok to assess if the content is illegal), we may reject the report and we will notify the reporter of this decision.
  • Where the report contains sufficient information, we will assess whether we consider the content is illegal. If we consider the content to be illegal, we will generally restrict access to the content in the country where it is illegal (or, in some cases, across the EEA region or by removing the content from our platform entirely). For a greater understanding of the categories of illegality that users can report, see 'Categories of illegal content'.
  • Those who report suspected illegal content will be notified of our decision, including if we consider that the content is not illegal. Reporters who disagree can appeal those decisions using the appeals process

Guide to illegal content reporting categories

We believe that creative and joyful experiences on TikTok start with feeling safe, which is why we maintain and enforce a set of Community Guidelines and related policies that include rules and standards for using TikTok. These rules apply to everyone and everything on our platform, and they often match, and sometimes go beyond, local law requirements. While we primarily enforce these rules through automated and human moderation, our community around the world can also use the reporting functions to alert us to content they believe violates our policies.

As part of requirements under the Digital Services Act, we provide our community in the European Economic Area (EEA) with an additional option, ‘Report Illegal Content’, in the existing reporting function to alert us to content they believe breaches the law. Learn more about how to use this option here.

Content that is reported for being illegal will first be reviewed against our policies and removed globally if the content is found to violate TikTok's policies. If it does not, then a specialist team of moderators and, where necessary, legal reviewers, will assess the report and take action if the content is illegal, including, for example, by restricting access to the content in the country where the law has been broken.

When you report suspected illegal content, you will be asked to tell us what type of illegal content you are reporting by selecting a category of unlawfulness. This helps us to properly and effectively consider and respond to your report. Below, we have summarised what each of these illegal content reporting categories are, what they mean in practical terms, and what information would be helpful to provide to us when reporting content you think falls within the category in question.

Things you can do to help us assess your report

  • Provide clear information.
  • Provide any detail and context you can which will support your report and help us to make a decision.
  • Identify the statement, image, message or piece of content that you believe is illegal and explain why.
  • Anyone can report illegal content. It does not need to be about you or someone you know. However, if the illegal content does relate to you or someone you represent, or you are their parent or guardian, it is really helpful if you tell us this.

We need you to provide enough information to assess whether the content is in fact illegal. We are also legally required to balance any competing legal rights when considering an illegal report (like freedom of speech).

Child sexual exploitation

Sexualised content of young people (under the age of 18) or Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) is any visual, textual and audible depictions or production of explicit or inferred child sexual assault and child exploitation. This could include:

  • Content featuring images which sexualise young people
  • Attempts to recruit a young person to produce CSAM
  • Offering to share CSAM
  • Content which is grooming or soliciting sexual services from a young person

TikTok has zero tolerance for child sexual exploitation.

If you encounter this type of illegal content, do not download, save, comment on, share or interact with this content. Please report it via our illegal content reporting channels. Additionally, you can report to a trusted organisation or your local law enforcement.

Terrorist offences

Terrorist offences include serious criminal activities such as endangering human life, hostage taking, destroying sensitive sites and disrupting fundamental resources. They also include a broad range of conduct which supports terrorism. These activities are often carried out for the purpose of seriously intimidating, destabilising or destroying a population, government or fundamental structures of a country or international organisation, or in an attempt to coerce them to act in a certain way.

This could include:

  • Facilitating acts of terrorism or urging others to do so
  • Assisting terrorist groups or their activities
  • Content connected to a terrorist group involving activities such as recruitment, travel, financial support, training and issuing instructions
  • Glorifying, justifying or gathering support for terrorism

TikTok takes an uncompromising stance against terrorism and violent extremism.

Illegal hate speech

Illegal hate speech is:

  • Encouraging or stirring up violence or hatred towards an individual or group based on a legally protected characteristic; or
  • Intentionally denying, condoning or grossly trivialising genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes directed against a group or individual on the basis of a legally protected characteristic

Legally protected characteristics could include race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, sex, gender, disability.

To help us assess your report, where possible, please identify the precise statement or image that you believe amounts to illegal hate speech and explain why.

Content relating to violent or organised crime

Content relating to violent or organised crime means illegal content which features graphic violence or participation in a criminal organisation. This could include:

  • Content which is involved in creating or establishing a criminal organisation, or provides information or means for the criminal organisation to achieve its goals
  • Content which features a criminal organisation recruiting new members or content providing support to finance the criminal organisation
  • Content which features, and either glorifies or downplays, cruel or inhumane acts of violence against real life humans or human-like beings

To help us assess your report, where possible, please identify the criminal organisation (or its members) featured in the content.

Illegal privacy-related violations

Illegal privacy-related violations means illegally disclosing someone’s personal data without their consent, or other private information in a way which violates their privacy rights. In some cases, this may include offering or threatening to disclose the information.

To help us assess your report, please:

  • Identify the personal data or private information within the content
  • Where relevant, identify the individual that the information relates to and whether they are under the age of 18. (e.g. This would not be relevant in the event that a criminal threatens to disclose passwords of hundreds of individuals)
  • Explain whether the individual or organisation who is sharing the information has consent to do so.
  • Describe how the content violates the individual’s privacy, including by explaining why you say the information is private

Non-consensual sharing of private or intimate images

Non-consensual sharing of private or intimate images means illegally distributing intimate images or videos without the individual’s consent. This could include:

  • Content focused on a private body part or underwear, or which displays a sexual or private act
  • Content featuring a person in a private setting protected from view e.g. hidden camera in a toilet or bathroom
  • Intimate images taken in public where the individual clearly did not consent e.g. upskirting

To help us assess your report, where possible, please:

  • Explain whether the individual featured consented to the image or video being shared

However, anyone can report an intimate image that appears to be shared without someone’s consent.

Illegal goods/services

Illegal goods/services means content which promotes or facilitates illegal services, or the sale or transfer of illegal goods. This could include:

  • Facilitating human trafficking, including offering or selling humans
  • Facilitating or profiting from the prostitution of others or advertising paid-for sexual services
  • Selling, distributing, supplying or producing illegal drugs or narcotics
  • Illegally trading wildlife or persuading others to do so
  • Illegally trading firearms

To help us assess your report, please identify the illegal service or goods.

Harassment or threats

Threats mean expressions of intent to commit a serious crime against an individual or group of individuals: in particular, threats to inflict serious physical injury or sexual violence, or threats to destroy or steal their property.

To help us assess your report, where possible, please:

  • Identify the precise statement or image which you believe is an illegal threat
  • Identify the individual or organisation which you allege is making the threat, and the individual or group it is directed towards
  • Explain why this amounts to an illegal threat

Harassment means persistent behaviour (i.e. it is not a one-off) targeted at an individual causing or intending to cause serious alarm or distress.

To help us assess your report, where possible, please:

  • Identify the precise statement or image that you believe amounts to harassment
  • Identify the individual that the content is targeted at
  • Explain how the content causes that individual serious alarm or distress
  • Provide information, either in general or specific terms, explaining how the alleged harasser has been persistent in their behaviour i.e. showing that it is not a one-off. If the harasser has targeted the same individual on other occasions please provide details.

Defamation

Defamation is a false statement of fact or allegation about an individual or organisation which seriously harms their reputation. Such a statement is said to be defamatory of the individual. To help us assess your report, please:

  • Identify the precise statement or allegation which you believe is false and defamatory
  • Identify the individual or organisation you allege defamed in the statement
  • Confirm that you are or represent the individual or organisation identified in the statement or allegation
  • Explain why the statement or allegation is false and defamatory, and why it seriously harms the reputation of the individual or organisation

Consumer-related offences

Consumer-related offences means content which:

  • breaches laws protecting consumers in the EU/EEA and member states; or
  • facilitates the sale or trade of unsafe or dangerous products which are illegal

To help us assess your report, please:

  • Explain why you believe the content breaches consumer law
  • Identify the unsafe or dangerous product which you believe is illegal

Information-related offences

Information-related offences are offences where it is illegal to disclose particular information or to send certain communications. This may include:

  • Criminal misinformation
  • Contempt of court and breaching court rules
  • Breaching court orders
  • Illegal disclosure
  • Instructions/encouragement in relation to suicide

Criminal misinformation

This means illegally distributing misinformation in breach of EU/EEA and member state laws.

To help us assess your report, please:

  • Identify the precise statement, image, message or content which you believe amounts to criminal misinformation
  • Explain why you believe the content may breach the law

Contempt of court and breaching court rules

Strict laws restrict the sharing of certain information about court proceedings. The purpose of these laws is to prevent information being shared that may unfairly influence a court case, protect the privacy of certain individuals involved in court cases and protect the integrity of the justice system. In some jurisdictions, “contempt of court” is the name given to certain breaches of court rules or court orders which risk unfairly influencing a court case.

Content which could breach court rules in some countries includes:

  • Information identifying under-18s involved in court cases or criminal rehabilitation programmes
  • Information identifying victims of sexual crimes, female genital mutilation, modern slavery or human trafficking
  • Communicating with a witness or juror in a court case to try to influence them about the case
  • Disclosing information about jury deliberations

To help us assess your report, please:

  • Identify the precise statement, image, message or content which you believe breaches a court rule or is in contempt of court
  • Explain why you believe the content breaches a court rule or is in contempt of court

Breaching court orders

Courts often introduce specific orders making it illegal for others to carry out particular activities or disclose certain information. Court orders might restrict:

  • Content publicly disclosing certain elements of court cases
  • Content publicly disclosing certain details about an individual's private life
  • Content publicly disclosing the identity of specified individuals (e.g. high risk witnesses)
  • Individuals from contacting certain other individuals (e.g. following a domestic abuse court case)

To help us assess your report, please:

  • Identify the precise statement, image, message or content which you believe breaches a court order
  • Provide details about the court order

Illegal disclosure

This means illegally disclosing information in breach of EU/EEA and member state laws.

To help us assess your report, please:

  • Identify the precise statement, image, message or content which you believe has been illegally disclosed
  • Explain why you believe the content breaches the law

Instructions/encouragement to suicide

This means illegal content which assists, arranges, encourages or advises another person to attempt activities which lead to suicide. This could include:

  • Content promoting suicide
  • Instructions for activities which could lead to suicide.

The safety and well-being of the TikTok community is our top priority. If you or someone you know is struggling emotionally, help is available - please see our Resources section here.

Financial crime

Financial crime is criminal conduct relating to money or property. This could include:

  • Fraud - where someone acts dishonestly with the intention of exploiting others for money or property
  • Money laundering - the process by which the proceeds of crime (e.g. money or assets obtained via criminal activity) are converted into money or assets which appear to have a legitimate origin. It includes hiding, disguising, converting, transferring, obtaining, using or possessing the proceeds of crime
  • Extortion - where someone makes a demand or request, along with a serious threat, with a view to exploiting others for money or property
  • Bribery - an offer, request, promise, or arrangement to provide an individual with an advantage in return for carrying out an activity in an improper way. The advantage could be money or another type of benefit

To help us assess your report, please:

  • Identify the type of financial crime you believe is being committed
  • If you have additional information which will support your report, please provide details

National security-related offences

National security-related offences means criminal conduct which threatens a country’s national security. This could include:

  • Stirring up sentiment to overthrow a government using force
  • Disclosing sensitive government information, intelligence, state or trade secrets
  • Activities which damage or attack assets or sensitive locations
  • Activities which cause serious risk to life or public safety

Other illegal content

If you encounter content which you believe is illegal but which does not appear to fall within any of the reporting categories listed above, you may choose to report it as “other illegal content”.

To help us assess your report, please:

  • Identify the precise statement, image or content which you believe is illegal
  • Explain why you believe the content is illegal
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