Their pupils are dilated, the drug is working, but so is the camera. They are mostly alone in the frame. More and more young people are showing their states under the influence of drugs on TikTok. The videos reach millions of viewers - often under one hashtag: #Pingtok.
What previously happened in secret is now being filmed, aestheticized, and shared publicly - with life-threatening consequences.
"Since I started raising awareness about addiction on TikTok, I've been getting a lot of messages. And it's really scary because they're often from minors," influencer Sara (26) told DW.
She herself became addicted to drugs at the age of 15. Today, she uses TikTok to educate others about addiction and overcoming it. Many of her followers, who came into contact with drugs through TikTok, are even younger.
"They have no one to talk to about it - and some of them write me really intense things about their experiences and traumas," says Sara.
One click to drugs
TikTok shows how easy it is for young people to come into contact with drug-related content.
A quick search for the hashtag #Pingtok is all it takes - and videos of teenagers under the influence of drugs appear one after another. The longer you scroll, the more clips the algorithm displays.
When asked by DW why TikTok is not taking stronger measures against the spread of such content, a TikTok spokesperson said:
"The safety and well-being of our community is our priority. We prohibit the display, advertising, or sale of drugs or other controlled substances and remove them from the platform - more than 99 percent of content that violates these rules is removed before it is reported," he claims.
What's behind Pingtok?
But Pingtok shows how easy it is to circumvent those rules. Users speak in code. They use emoticons, sounds, and new expressions to avoid words that the algorithm knows and removes. Instead of showing visible drug use, for example, they only show their dilated pupils.
This is where the term Pingtok comes from. "Ping" is slang for taking the drug MDMA. This so-called algorithmic language, also known as "algospeak," makes it difficult to clearly identify content - and to remove it quickly.
Even when terms are blocked, users are quick to adapt: the hashtag #Pingtok is now blocked by TikTok. Variations like #Pingtokk or #Pintok are now circulating.
Dealer on TikTok
At the same time, TikTok is becoming an informal marketplace. "You don't even have to leave your house anymore. You can get everything you want - straight to your room," says influencer Sara.
A look at the comments sections below the video shows what he means. There, queries like "Who's selling?" or "I need something in Berlin" elicit direct responses from sellers.
Traders signal their readiness to sell with symbols like charging plugs, then invite users to chat groups on the Telegram app.
Publicity changes drug use
Young people have always experimented with drugs. But publicity changes everything, says Sara. In the past, she says, they would draw the curtains and secretly use drugs with others. Today, they turn on the cameras and take drugs themselves – for the clicks on TikTok.
According to German criminal police, drug-related deaths have almost doubled in the past ten years. Among people under the age of 30, the number of deaths increased by 14 percent in 2024.
Studies from the US also show that more than two-thirds of fatal overdoses occur at home – often because there is no one there to intervene.
A direct link to TikTok trends has not been proven. However, experts warn that isolation and exposure to drug-related content on social media can make drug use more dangerous.
Governments consider banning social media
Internationally, political pressure on social media is growing. Some governments want to better protect young people from harmful content.
In December, Australia became the first country in the world to ban social media for those under 16.
Spain is the first country in the European Union to announce it will introduce the same measure. The United Kingdom, Denmark and, most recently, France are also planning similar restrictions.
The EU is currently investigating whether platforms are adequately meeting their obligations regarding the protection of minors and is considering access restrictions. But are bans really the solution?
It's not all praise.
"There's a side that's often overlooked in the discussion about drug use and social media," researcher Leyla Bouzuba told DW. "Namely, all the people who use these platforms to find support - and that has nothing to do with glorifying drugs."
Bouzuba and her team analyzed hundreds of TikTok videos on the topic of drug use. They say that more than half of the content deals with prevention, recovery, or seeking help.
A blanket removal of all content or a ban on the platform could be dangerous for these target groups, Bouzuba believes. "We don't want to cut off this lifeline for people, while at the same time moderating content extremely strictly."
Prevention is now happening online
That's Sara's approach, too. Today, she doesn't use TikTok to glorify drugs, but to warn about the consequences of addiction.
"Drug commissioners and social workers should be prepared for the fact that most things happen online these days," says Sara. "It's good to go out on the streets or into schools. But they also need to monitor the online sphere - especially because many of the users there are underage."
Bonus video:
