Molly Rose Foundation chief executive Andy Burrows called on UK regulator Ofcom to open a separate investigation into TikTok's recommendation algorithm after a coroner said suicide-related material could have influenced a 14-year-old girl's decision to take her own life.
Burrows renewed the foundation's call after an inquest into the death of Adriana Retyte, The Guardian reported. Norfolk area coroner Johanna Thompson said Retyte had viewed suicide-related videos and images on TikTok in the week before her death. Thompson said the material may have affected Retyte's decision, though her reasons could not be established.
Ofcom opened a separate investigation into TikTok on July 16. It is examining whether the platform meets its legal duties to protect children from harmful content, including whether its age checks are effective. The regulator says the case remains open and it has reached no conclusion about a breach. Burrows wants it to examine how TikTok recommends content as part of its scrutiny.
M·E·L Research surveyed 1,825 UK teenagers ages 13 to 17 for the foundation in April and May 2026. Its briefing said 34% reported seeing high-risk content about suicide, self-harm, depression or eating disorders in the previous week. Among respondents who reported seeing such content across the six platforms studied, 76% said they had seen it on TikTok.
The foundation identifies recommendation feeds and time spent on platforms as contributors to teenagers' exposure. The survey describes the respondents' experiences; it does not establish how Retyte encountered the material or what caused her death.
TikTok expressed sympathy for Retyte's family, The Guardian reported. The company said its rules prohibit content promoting self-harm and that it uses technology to detect and remove posts that breach its community guidelines.
Thompson plans to send a report aimed at preventing future deaths to bodies including Ofcom, according to The Guardian's account of the inquest. Ofcom has said it will provide an update on its TikTok investigation in October.
