Researchers at the Truth Initiative found that major social media networks routinely dismiss user reports of illicit nicotine activity, leaving prohibited promotions and sales active for millions of young viewers. The research, published in the Journal of Online Trust and Safety, demonstrates that platform moderation tools frequently fail to enforce internal bans on tobacco and cannabis content.
Between July 29 and October 16, 2025, researchers monitored content across the three platforms most popular with American teenagers. By searching terms such as "buy nic no id" and "zyn challenge," they logged 294 posts that openly breached platform terms. These posts spanned five categories: lack of age restrictions, unauthorized promotion, direct product sales, underage use, and dangerous consumption practices.
Collectively, the unmoderated posts generated roughly 690,000 likes and an estimated 15.7 million views. Despite direct flagging through standard in-app reporting tools, 221 violations remained live two weeks later.
Enforcement Outcomes Across Platforms
Response rates varied widely depending on the host platform and the nature of the violation. Instagram removed the highest percentage of illicit content, while TikTok and YouTube demonstrated near-total inaction on retail transactions.
| Platform | Total Reports Acted Upon | Action Rate (%) | Illegal Sales Removals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51 of 98 | 52.0% | 32 of 36 | |
| YouTube | 14 of 97 | 14.4% | 2 of 29 |
| TikTok | 8 of 99 | 8.1% | 1 of 36 |
Action on promotional partnerships and dangerous stunts was minimal. Platforms removed under 10% of reported sponsored promotions (4 out of 79) and acted on only 1 out of 29 flagged posts depicting hazardous practices, such as consuming entire cans of nicotine pouches in a single sitting or inhaling multiple vaporizers at once.
Flawed Tools and Contradictory Moderation Decisions
Researchers documented recurring operational flaws in how platforms process reports. Reporting categories often fail to reflect written policies; Instagram lacked a dedicated reporting category for tobacco, forcing researchers to select "other drugs," while YouTube prohibited users from flagging entire accounts for nicotine infractions.
In multiple instances, platforms issued formal automated notices stating that flagged content "does not violate" guidelines. These included accounts explicitly advertising "no ID required" or "we also sell to minors." On TikTok, non-compliant storefront accounts accumulated 482,000 followers without facing intervention.
Researchers also recorded "phantom removals." Platforms sent notifications confirming that reported content had been deleted, yet the material remained accessible 48 hours later. Some submissions vanished from in-app tracking dashboards altogether, providing users with a false impression of enforcement.
Commercial Pressures and the Limits of Self-Regulation
The study attributes these systemic shortcomings to platform business models. Because revenues depend on user retention and ad impressions, rigorous moderation presents an unwanted cost that simultaneously reduces high-engagement content.
In regions like the European Union, the regulatory baseline is shifting away from self-policing. The Digital Services Act (DSA) mandates rapid response mechanisms for illegal commercial communications, reinforcing longstanding bans under the 2003 Tobacco Advertising Directive and the 2014 Tobacco Products Directive.
Even with strict frameworks, enforcement remains an ongoing issue. Data from France's National Committee Against Tobacco (CNCT) indicates that while illicit tobacco and nicotine promotion has decreased, black-market distributors continuously adapt techniques to bypass automated algorithmic filters.
- Source: Social media platforms claim to protect their users, but rarely act on reported tobacco content
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