Revelations about child safety on TikTok raise many questions

TikTok’s new U.S. CEO, Adam Presser, previously oversaw trust and safety operations at the social media giant—a connection that drew attention following an NPR investigation published on October 20, 2026. The investigation examined testimony before a federal court alleging that company executives failed to adequately address repeated warnings regarding the sexual exploitation of children and other security risks.

Journalist Katie McQue reviewed previously unpublished employee testimonies filed in federal court in March 2026. These testimonies cited alleged shortcomings regarding live streams of a sexual nature featuring minors, harmful recommendations, and weaknesses in parental control tools. These allegations pertain to practices that, for the most part, predate TikTok’s restructuring under U.S. control and have not been established as constituting misconduct.

Before becoming CEO of TikTok’s U.S. joint venture, Mr. Presser served as chief of staff to global CEO Shou Zi Chew beginning in April 2022, before assuming senior-level responsibilities in the areas of operations, trust, and security. Although his previous roles link him to the company’s former leadership, the reported testimony does not establish that he personally ignored specific warnings.

On January 22, 2026, TikTok completed a restructuring aimed at selling the majority of its U.S. operations to U.S. and international investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX. ByteDance retained a minority stake of 19.9%. Presser’s appointment demonstrated continuity in leadership, even as the company committed to strengthening oversight of U.S. user data, content moderation, and platform security.

According to an affidavit reviewed by NPR, former security investigator Reagen Maher repeatedly raised concerns about potential sexual exploitation involving minors on TikTok Live. In an internal conversation later reviewed during her deposition, she wrote: “I’ve been fighting for months to get this issue resolved with people who didn’t consider the harm to be serious enough.”

Court testimony cited by NPR referred to an internal review that identified approximately 112,000 live streams featuring children aged 13 to 15 during the month of January 2022, despite restrictions prohibiting younger teenagers from streaming. This figure does not mean that every live stream constituted a case of exploitation. However, investigators reportedly identified concerning cases of “grooming,” inappropriate interactions, and potentially exploitative content.

The investigation also raised concerns about TikTok’s virtual gifting system, which allows viewers to purchase digital gifts for creators during live streams. According to some testimonies, certain streams involving minors reportedly generated revenue even though they violated the platform’s rules. Internal findings reportedly warned that these activities created financial incentives while posing potential risks of exploitation, raising questions about the enforcement of the rules.

Maher’s testimony described attempts to raise concerns about child safety with TikTok’s senior leadership. Internal communications cited during the proceedings indicated that senior executives were believed to be aware of certain issues. However, the documents reviewed by NPR do not establish that Adam Presser personally received or dismissed these warnings, particularly those dating from before he officially assumed his leadership role.

NPR also examined testimony from Eric Han, a former security manager, regarding potentially harmful recommendations related to content about suicide and self-harm. Other employees reportedly identified loopholes that allowed teenagers to bypass age restrictions or parental controls. These allegations raise broader concerns about protective measures, although this disputed testimony does not establish that all the identified issues remained unresolved.

TikTok rejected this interpretation of its safety record, with spokesperson Nathaniel Brown criticizing the allegations, which he described as “clearly cherry-picked at the behest of trial lawyers.” The company highlighted its substantial investments in trust and safety, as well as more than 50 predefined protective measures designed for teenagers. These statements are part of an ongoing legal dispute, and the allegations remain disputed.

These revelations have reignited questions about the continuity of TikTok’s leadership following its acquisition by U.S. shareholders. Mr. Presser, who previously oversaw high-level operations as well as trust and safety issues, now supervises the platform’s safety measures within the U.S. joint venture. Although there is no concrete evidence that he personally ignored the alleged warnings, the investigation raises questions about whether the restructuring has led to significant improvements in child safety.