“Since I started raising awareness about addiction on TikTok, I've received many messages. And it's terrifying because they're usually from minorities,” influencer Sarah told DW in an interview. She herself became addicted to drugs at age 15. Today, at 26, she uses TikTok to inform and educate herself about her addiction and recovery. Many of his followers who are getting into drugs through TikTok are even younger. “They have no one to talk to about it, and some write me very intense things about their experiences and traumas,” Sarah said. How did it come to this? Just a click away from drugs. TikTok shows how easy it is for young people, even minors, to come into contact with drug-related content. A quick search under the hashtag #Pingtok is enough, and videos of teenagers under the influence of drugs appear one after another. The more you scroll, the more clips the algorithm shows. DW asked TikTok why it doesn't take stronger action against the distribution of this type of content. A TikTok spokesperson responded: "The safety and well-being of our community are our top priority. We prohibit the display, advertising, or sale of drugs or other controlled substances and remove them from the platform; more than 99% of content that violates these rules is removed before it is reported."

What's behind Pingtok?

But Pingtok demonstrates how easy it is to circumvent these rules. Users speak in code. They use emojis, sounds, and new terms to outsmart the platform's moderation. Instead of showing drug use, for example, they just show their dilated pupils.

This is also where the term Pingtok comes from. “Ping” is considered slang for using the drug MDMA or ecstasy. This algorithmic language, also known as “Algospeak,” makes it difficult to clearly identify content and remove it quickly. Even when terms are blocked, users adapt quickly: the hashtag #Pingtok has already been blocked by TikTok. Variants like #Pingtokk or #Pintok are already circulating.

Drug trafficking on TikTok

Especially problematic is that TikTok is becoming an informal drug marketplace. "You don't even have to leave home anymore. You can get whatever you want, right in your room,” says influencer Sarah.

A glance at the comments section of videos shows what she means. Searches like “Who's selling?” or “I need something in Berlin” generate direct responses from sellers. Dealers indicate their willingness to sell using symbols like a plug and then invite users to chat in groups on the Telegram messaging app.

Social media exhibitionism changes drug use

Young people have always experimented with drugs. But exhibitionism on social media is changing everything, says Sarah. Before, people would draw the curtains and secretly use drugs with others. Today, they turn on their cameras and record themselves using drugs alone to get clicks on TikTok.

Current data shows how dangerous this uncontrolled drug use can be. According to the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), drug-related deaths in Germany have almost doubled in ten years. Among those under 30, the number of deaths increased by 14% in 2024.

Studies show that in the United States, more than two-thirds of fatal overdoses occur at home, often because no one can intervene. But a direct link to TikTok trends like Pingtok has not been proven.

However, experts warn that isolation and exposure to drug-related content on social media can increase the risk of drug use.

Governments consider banning social media for minors

Internationally, political pressure on social media is increasing. Some governments are seeking to better protect young people from harmful content. In December, Australia became the first country in the world to ban social media use for those under 16. The UK, Denmark, France, and Spain are planning similar restrictions. The European Union is also examining whether platforms are adequately fulfilling their child protection obligations and is debating access restrictions. But are they really the solution? Not everything is glorifying drugs. “There's a side to the debate about drug use and social media that's often overlooked,” says researcher Layla Bouzoubaa in an interview with DW. “There are people who use these platforms to seek support,And that has nothing to do with glorification.”

Bouzoubaa and her team analyzed hundreds of TikTok videos about substance use. Their finding: more than half of the content deals with drug prevention, overcoming addiction, or seeking help. Bouzoubaa believes that a blanket removal of all content or a ban on the platform could be dangerous for these groups.

Prevention happens online

That's Sarah's approach, too. Today, she doesn't use TikTok to glorify drugs, but to warn about the real consequences of addiction. “Drug commissioners and social workers should be prepared for the fact that, today, most things happen online,” she says.

That's why she advises:"It's good that they go out into the streets or schools. But they also need to be vigilant in the digital world, especially since many of their users are minorities."