Diary of a TikTok moderator: ‘We are the people who sweep up the mess’

From dense' training and tests to going live, answering for idles' - and some of the types of videos received

TikTok says it has more than 40,000 professionals dedicated to keeping the platform safe. Moderators work alongside automated moderation systems, reviewing content in more than 70 languages.

Earlier this year, TikTok invited journalists to its new transparency and accountability" centre, a move aimed at showing the company wanted to be more open. It says moderators receive training that is thorough and under constant review.

Phishing and scam videos in a selection of foreign languages that promise guaranteed high-paying jobs at reputable companies and have instructions to send a CV to a Telegram account.

Sex workers trying to direct you to their OnlyFans and so on, while not being able to mention OnlyFans. They use a variety of slang terms and emojis to indicate they have an account on OnlyFans as well as instructions to check their Instagram for more", meaning that, while direct links to OnlyFans aren't allowed on TikTok, by using the in-app feature that lets you open the user's Instagram profile, the link is never more than a few clicks away.

A 10- to 60-minute get ready with me" uploaded by an underage user where they dress and get ready for school.

A recap video featuring hundreds of photos and clips of an entire school year uploaded by someone who just finished their end-of-year exams.

Footage of well-known YouTubers' and streamers' most controversial moments, or popular TV shows such as South Park or Family Guy in the top half of the video and Subway Surfers/Grand Theft Auto in the bottom half.

A four-minute explicit video of hardcore pornography.

Videos featuring what could be Islamist extremist militants but with little to no context because none of the text and spoken language is in a language you were hired to moderate or that you understand.

A first-hand recording of young men/teenagers using power tools to steal a selection of motorbikes/scooters/cars, followed by clips of them either driving the vehicles dangerously, destroying the vehicles or listing them for sale.

A recording of a livestream that happened on TikTok and has been reposted, probably because it contains controversial comments or behaviour.

A list of a person's name, address, place of work and other personal information followed by harassing statements or requests for violence to be committed against the person.

TikTok declined to comment on the record. However, it insisted moderator systems" do not shut down after five minutes, and it said it did not recognise the term recaps". In response to other stories about how the app is policed, it said: These allegations about TikTok's policies are wrong or based on misunderstandings, while the Guardian has not given us enough information about their other claims to investigate."