Social media platform, TikTok, has said it will now permanently ban accounts that promote the exploitation, endangerment, or sexualisation of Nigerian minors.
TikTok stated this in a report by civic-tech organisation, Citizens' Gavel, which added that TikTok users whose accounts were banned for violations "would no longer be able to create new accounts."
In a release on Thursday sent to SaharaReporters by Citizens' Gavel, and signed by Sylvester Agih, Senior Legal Analyst, the organisation confirmed that "several of the critical demands we made to TikTok earlier this year have been implemented in the platform’s newly updated Terms of Service, set to take effect on July 25, 2025."
Agih said, "On February 8, 2025, Citizens’ Gavel formally wrote to TikTok, demanding urgent reforms to address the platform’s failure to protect minors from harmful content, online sexual exploitation, and mental health risks.
"When TikTok failed to act on our full demands within the specified time, we filed SUIT NO. FHC/L/CS/517/2025 at the Federal High Court, Lagos, seeking judicial intervention. Following our advocacy and legal action, TikTok has now incorporated key measures that align with our demands:
"Permanent bans on exploitative content and accounts: TikTok will now permanently ban accounts that promote the exploitation, endangerment, or sexualization of minors. Users whose accounts were banned for violations will no longer be able to create new accounts.
"Stricter age restrictions: Direct messaging is restricted to users 16+, while TikTok Live and virtual gifting are now limited to users 18+. Underage accounts will be actively identified and suspended or terminated.
"Improved content moderation: TikTok will use tech-powered monitoring combined with human review teams to detect, flag, and remove harmful content promptly. Clearer prohibitions on illegal and harmful content: The updated terms explicitly ban the posting, live streaming, or sharing of exploitative, illegal, or obscene content, particularly content that risks harm to minors.
"These changes directly respond to the demands we made regarding stronger content moderation, stricter age verification, removal of exploitative accounts, and improved monitoring systems.
"Citizens’ Gavel welcomes these updates as a step toward creating safer online spaces for children. But our work is far from over. We will closely track how TikTok enforces these new policies and continue to push for the demands that remain unmet.
"These include independent audits of TikTok’s child protection measures, stronger collaboration with law enforcement to hold offenders accountable, and the establishment of a dedicated TikTok Child Protection Task Force to identify and report cases of child abuse.
"Our commitment to protecting minors online remains unwavering. We will continue to hold digital platforms accountable to the highest standards of user safety."