New figures obtained through Freedom of Information requests reveal a sharp rise in crimes carried out via TikTok across Merseyside, with Liverpool recording the highest number of incidents and children accounting for a significant proportion of victims.
Liverpool has emerged as the centre of a growing wave of digital crimes linked to TikTok, according to newly released figures obtained through Freedom of Information requests. The data, compiled by legal specialists JF Law using records from Merseyside Police, paints a concerning picture of how social media platforms are increasingly featuring in criminal investigations involving harassment, stalking, sexual offences and abuse.
The figures do not suggest that TikTok itself is the cause of these offences. Rather, police guidance makes clear that the platform was relevant to investigations, whether through communication between those involved, the sharing of content, or other evidential links.
Nevertheless, the steady increase in recorded incidents over the past three years highlights the growing role that social media is playing in modern policing and online safeguarding.
A sharp rise across Merseyside
Between 2023 and 2025, Merseyside Police recorded 917 offences in which TikTok featured as part of the investigation. The number of cases increased year on year, rising from 241 in 2023 to 275 in 2024 before reaching 401 in 2025.
Liverpool recorded the highest number of incidents anywhere in the force area, with 310 offences across the three-year period. Cases within the city more than doubled during that time, increasing from 63 in 2023 to 103 in 2024 before climbing further to 144 last year.
Elsewhere across Merseyside, Sefton recorded 186 incidents, while Wirral followed with 176. St Helens documented 126 offences, and Knowsley recorded 119, with each area showing either consistent growth or significant increases by 2025.
Taken together, the figures suggest that online-related offending is becoming an increasingly significant challenge for police forces across the region.
Harassment dominates the statistics
Among all recorded offences, stalking and harassment accounted for by far the largest proportion of cases.
A total of 671 harassment-related offences were recorded over the three years, making it the most common category by a considerable margin. Although reports dipped slightly between 2023 and 2024, they rose sharply again last year, reaching 279 recorded offences.
Sexual offences also featured prominently within the data. Police recorded 54 other sexual offences alongside one rape offence where TikTok played a role in the investigation during the period covered.
Other reported crimes included theft, public order offences, violence without injury and violent assaults, illustrating the wide range of criminal behaviour in which social media can become involved.
Rather than representing isolated incidents, the figures suggest that online platforms are increasingly appearing across many different areas of criminal investigation.
Children remain among the most vulnerable
Perhaps the most concerning aspect of the data is the number of young people affected.
Across the three-year period, 167 victims aged under 16 were identified in TikTok-related investigations. Although numbers fell slightly between 2023 and 2024, they more than doubled in 2025, reaching 80 recorded child victims.
Young people aged 16 and 17 were also increasingly targeted. Police recorded 52 offences involving this age group, with incidents rising from six in 2023 to 17 in 2024 before increasing further to 29 last year.
Combined, the figures indicate that more than 219 children and teenagers became victims of offences that had a link to TikTok in the investigations during the reporting period.
As children continue to spend increasing amounts of time online, the findings raise wider questions about digital safeguarding, parental awareness and the effectiveness of existing protections on social media platforms.
A wider regional pattern
The trend is not confined to Merseyside.
Greater Manchester Police recorded 3,643 incidents where TikTok played a role in the investigation over the same three-year period, with stalking and harassment accounting for 2,622 of those cases. Lancashire Constabulary also reported rising numbers, with incidents more than doubling from 35 in 2023 to 84 in 2025.
While each force records offences differently, the broader pattern suggests that online platforms are becoming an increasingly common feature in police investigations across the North West.
Political pressure for stronger online protections
The publication of the figures comes as the British Government continues to strengthen measures aimed at protecting children online.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Government introduced plans for tighter restrictions on children’s access to social media, following growing concerns about online safety.
The move follows similar action in Australia, where Prime Minister Anthony Albanese introduced legislation designed to prevent children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms.
Supporters argue that stronger safeguards are necessary to reduce online harm, while critics continue to debate how such measures can be enforced without limiting legitimate access to digital spaces.
Calls for greater awareness and support
Ellie Lamey, a Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority specialist at JF Law, said the figures should serve as a warning for both parents and public authorities.
She described the volume of recorded cases as evidence that platforms used daily by millions of young people are increasingly being exploited by offenders to target vulnerable individuals.
Lamey also stressed that the consequences of cyberstalking, harassment and online abuse extend far beyond the digital world, often leaving lasting emotional and psychological effects on victims and their families.
She encouraged those affected to seek legal advice and support, adding that victims should not feel they have to face online abuse alone and that routes to justice and protection remain available.
The growing challenge of digital policing
The figures illustrate how policing is continuing to evolve alongside rapidly changing technology.
Social media platforms have become integral to everyday communication, particularly among younger users. While they provide opportunities for creativity, education and community, they also present new challenges for law enforcement when used to facilitate harassment, exploitation or abuse.
Importantly, the data does not demonstrate that TikTok directly causes criminal behaviour. Instead, it reflects the growing reality that digital platforms increasingly form part of the evidence surrounding modern offences.
For police, legislators and safeguarding organisations, the challenge is becoming less about any single platform and more about ensuring that the online spaces where people spend much of their lives remain as safe as possible.
As reported incidents continue to rise across Merseyside and beyond, the latest figures underline the urgent need for effective prevention, stronger education around online safety and accessible support for those affected by digital crime.
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