Summary
TikTok's advertising ecosystem extends far beyond classic paid ads. Our study maps official ad formats, influencer marketing, branded content, livestreams, business accounts, and monetisation features such as coins, gifts, competitions, and subscriptions. We find that advertising on TikTok is omnipresent, and the boundary between commercial and non-commercial content is often blurred.
A central finding is that commercial content is frequently not labelled in a way users can clearly recognise. Creators often use hashtags such as #Anzeige or #Werbung instead of TikTok’s official disclosure tools, or don't label advertising at all. Company accounts can also publish promotional 'editorial' content or partner with content creators through affiliate cooperation without clear ad labeling - further weakening transparency and making commercial intent harder to identify.
TikTok's ad library also shows significant transparency deficits. TikTok has set up two public archives to meet its DSA obligations, but keyword search is limited, the ad-type filter is non-functional, and the archive for "other commercial content" contains too little information to meaningfully analyse influencer marketing, branded content, or targeting practices.
Beyond labelling and transparency, the study raises serious child-protection concerns. Advertising on TikTok is often embedded in entertaining, creator-driven, and highly interactive formats, making commercial intent harder to recognise — especially for minors. This is particularly problematic given TikTok's young user base, the ease with which under-13s can access the platform, and monetisation features such as coins, gifts, and livestream interactions that rely on opaque pricing and gamified incentives.
Recommendations
- Stronger enforcement of ad disclosure rules and better detection of insufficiently labelled commercial content.
- Clearer responsibility for companies and creators to comply with advertising rules, supported by practical guidance and training.
- Greater transparency in TikTok’s virtual currency system, especially around exchange rates, commissions, and cross-device pricing.
- More effective ad archives with better search functions and more meaningful information on commercial content and commercial relationships.
- Stronger protection of minors, particularly against hidden advertising, youth-directed commercial content, and spending incentives built into TikTok’s monetisation features.
Funded by Arbeiterkammer Wien.
This research was funded by the Chambor of Labor Vienna (AK Wien).
