On September 24, The Radio and Television Commission Lithuanian (RTCL) completed its monitoring of several online content channels and decided to sanction the creator of the TikTok account “hoodpriest_clip.”
According to RTCL Chair Mantas Martišius, this case illustrates that clear principles of accountability must apply in the digital space, and that harmful content must be addressed in accordance with Lithuanian law.
During monitoring, the Commission identified numerous instances of content harmful to minors, including the depiction of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use; gambling and money games; extremely vulgar and degrading language; and elements of violence, humiliation, and sexually explicit scenes.
Such content should have been restricted to adults, but in most cases it was not — the videos were not labeled 18+, and no warnings or filtering measures were applied.
The TikTok account “hoodpriest_clip” (“District Priest”) stood out in particular, with nearly 18,000 followers and over 146,000 likes. It featured multiple examples of content harmful to minors: frequent profanity, violent episodes (group fights, death threats), gambling (casino and diamond gambling), property destruction (throwing objects, vandalism), humiliation (insults, bullying), and sexually explicit material. All of this content was publicly accessible without any age restrictions.
The RTCL determined that such content falls into several categories prohibited under the Law on the Protection of Minors from the Negative Impact of Public Information, including violent content, promotion of gambling, degradation of human dignity, and depictions of sexual acts.
The person responsible — the creator of this account — was issued an administrative offense report and fined €275. The sanction was imposed under Article 79(5) of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Lithuania, which establishes liability for violations of labeling and dissemination of information harmful to minors, as well as in accordance with the above-mentioned Law.
The RTCL also noted other cases. The Kick.com channel weedboyz was found to feature uncensored language and the use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. Since the creator cooperated with the Commission, no fine was imposed — only a warning. However, the channel will remain under constant monitoring, and repeated violations will result in stricter sanctions. The harmful recordings have since been removed.
In addition, the RTCL monitored several YouTube channels that also contained elements unsuitable for minors, ranging from profanity to violence and alcohol consumption. The Commission is still assessing what further measures to take, but access to these videos has already been restricted.
This issue has international relevance as well. Earlier this year, a high-profile case in France involved 46-year-old broadcaster Raphaël Graven, known by his pseudonym Jean Pormanove, who died during a live stream on Kick following prolonged humiliation and psychological abuse. Criminal proceedings have been launched in France, and the platform’s responsibility is being evaluated under the EU Digital Services Act.
“It is our duty to make it clear that harmful content for minors is unacceptable. The RTCL will not limit itself to monitoring — in cases where violations are clear and systematic, sanctions will be applied. We use fines to show that clear legal standards apply online, said RTCL Chair Mantas Martišius. ––Tragic cases abroad demonstrate the consequences of failing to respond to harmful content in time. The RTCL will continue to record violations, apply restrictions, and impose sanctions in line with Lithuanian law.”