It is actually forbidden – and yet it is surprisingly present: there is a drug scene on TikTok, in which some very young users are also active. Similar content can also be found on other social media platforms such as Facebook or in messengers such as WhatsApp and Telegram, but TikTok plays a particularly prominent role. This causes great concern among many parents, as such content can trivialize risks and convey misconceptions about drug use.
Illegal drugs find their way into the public domain via social media platforms such as TikTok. Under certain hashtags, there are videos of users talking about or hinting at their own drug use. These range from cannabis and mushrooms to MDMA, meth and heroin.
The substances are often not shown or named directly. Instead, the videos work with codes, slang terms, emojis or hints such as striking close-ups, over-excited behavior or extreme moods. In this way, the creators try to circumvent rules and still be understood.
Such content is prohibited under the German regulations for the protection of minors in the media as well as under the community rules of the platforms. TikTok prohibits the depiction, advertising, possession and trafficking of drugs. Nevertheless, such videos appear time and again. Some come from children and young people themselves, who receive likes or approving comments.
In recent months, terms such as “Pinktok” or “Pingtok” have also emerged. These terms are used to describe videos in which drug use is trivialized or only hinted at. In some cases, there are references to procurement or sale in the comments. In some cases, young people make further appointments there or then switch to private chats or messengers. In this way, not only are drugs discussed, but access to them can also be facilitated.
The problem with this drug scene, which is often just a click away, is that the videos appear colorful, relaxed and entertaining. Music, insider jokes and the feeling of belonging appeal to young people in particular. Risks, health consequences or addiction hardly play a role.
This can give children and young people the wrong impression. Drug use appears to be harmless recreational fun. Children and young people in particular who are looking for recognition, belonging or orientation or who feel lonely can feel attracted to such content. This is reinforced by recommendation algorithms. Anyone who watches such videos for a longer period of time is often shown similar content again. This can make the topic more and more present.
According to the community guidelines, drug-related content is not permitted – neither consumption, glorification nor sale. TikTok blocks known hashtags, deletes posts or restricts accounts if violations are detected or reported. The provider states that a lot of problematic content is detected automatically.
In practice, however, gaps remain. New terms, codes or trends are not always recognized immediately. Particularly suggestive or ironically staged content is difficult for automatic systems to classify.
In addition, legal requirements have been tightened, for example by adapting the regulations for the protection of minors in Germany. At European level, the Digital Services Act obliges large platforms to analyze risks for children and young people and take countermeasures. These measures improve structures, but do not guarantee complete protection of individual feeds.
A trusting relationship is crucial for both media and drug use. Stay in contact with your child and show an interest in their media use. Ideally, you will notice early on if your child encounters irritating content or has questions.
If your child is younger, technical protection measures can also help, such as TikTok’s accompanied mode or parental control functions on the device. However, technical protection does not replace a conversation, but supports it.
If you have the impression that your child is changing, seems mentally stressed or has already had contact with problematic content, the following steps can help:
