Does TikTok Allow NSFW Content? How Do You Find It?

NSFW is one of those acronyms that has moved from Internet posts to general usage, at least in America. It’s in most authoritative dictionaries, too.

For those who pay little attention to modern slang terms, NSFW stands for “not safe for work.” It describes content that would be inappropriate for viewing or language inappropriate for use in a public or office setting, because of its graphic, sexual, or offensive nature.

TikTok’s terms and conditions and Community Standards ban much of the content that could be considered NSFW — but not all of it. Sexually-explicit language, content, and nudity are prohibited on the social media platform, as are some other types of adult content, graphic and shocking TikTok videos, and overly sexually-suggestive images and language.

However, some NSFW material is considered acceptable. TikTok does not ban artistic content with sexual references, sexualized framing or behavior, adult “semi-nudity,” or similar types of TikTok content. The app has a system designed to stop children and minors from seeing those categories of material, and it can also be activated by adults if they desire.

The system is called “restricted mode,” and it’s the first TikTok feature you should understand if you want to view NSFW content on the platform.

Disabling TikTok Restricted Mode

You must be at least 13 to sign up for a TikTok account, and must be 18 or older to take advantage of all of the app’s features. Those between 13 and 18 automatically receive an account set to “Restricted Mode,” which filters out all TikTok posts containing profanity, realistic violence or imagery, sexually-suggestive material, drugs, and mature themes.

TikTok users who join as teenagers can turn off Restricted Mode once they turn 18. Those who join after they turn 18 will have Restricted Mode set to “off” by default, so they will be able to see mature content unless they manually enable the setting that filters out adult material.

If your goal is to see NSFW TikTok posts and comments, you should first make sure that Restricted Mode is disabled on your account.

1. Tap “Profile” at the bottom right of your home screen to reach your TikTok profile.
2. Click the “Menu” icon (three horizontal lines) at the top right of the page.
3. Choose “Settings and privacy” from the popup menu.
4. Scroll down to and tap on “Content preferences.” On the next page, find and click on “Restricted Mode” to turn the setting on or off. It will need to be “off” for NSFW content to be visible on your feeds.

Where to Look for NSFW Videos on TikTok

The app’s content restrictions mean that there’s no “section” of TikTok where you can find a collection of adult content. Searches for “nude, “sex,” and so on won’t do you much good, either. Videos that violate the platform’s rules occasionally sneak through for a short time, but they’ll quickly be removed by moderators, and there’s no easy way to track them all down.

Instead, you have to be smart when trying to find NSFW material that’s suggestive, provocative, or sexualized on TikTok. Among the approaches many people use:

• Search for NSFW Hashtags: Many like-minded users gather in communities on the app where they exchange mature content and discuss adult topics. They identify their posts with hashtags linked to their interests, and searching out those hashtags can provide a bounty of NSFW material. Look for ones like #badgirls, #sexxygirl, #strippa, #kinktok, #poledance, and #accountanttok (code for porn stars) to get started.
• Look for Porn Stars Who Use TikTok: Many big-name porn actresses have accounts on the app. They don’t post fully-explicit videos, of course, but they do delight in sharing erotic content. This group includes Eva Lovia (@lovialongtime), Mia Malkova (@miamalkova), and Angela White (@angelawhite).
• Try the Obvious: These may disappear quickly, but TikTok posts with the “red flag” hashtag #nsfw pop up on the app at times (at least until a moderator removes them). Search for them and you might get lucky.

There are certainly better Internet destinations than TikTok if you’re looking for nasty adult content, but those who spend most of their day (and night) on the app may be able to find enough suggestive material there to keep them happy.