TikTok has said that Perez Hilton’s self-harming livestream was kept up between 15 and 20 minutes due to a “moderator error”.

On Tuesday (4 August), the celebrity blogger’s followers reported the concerning video to police, who “safely recovered” him from his house in Miami and transported him to his local hospital, where he is receiving medical attention.

Concerns now surround why the livestream was permitted to remain online for as long as it did, with a TikTok spokesperson claiming to Deadline that an automated moderation system highlighted it for removal within minutes, but that an error blocked it from being stopped promptly.

His account was eventually suspended for violating TikTok’s Community Guidelines.

TikTok forbids any self-harming content. The social media app claims to have a 99.3 per cent proactive removal rate of videos that violate its rules in any way, and suspended more than 50 million live streams between January and March this year for breaching its rules. The Independent has contacted TikTok for additional comment.

Hilton’s family shared a statement on the blogger’s website, saying: “Many of you have reached out with concern for Perez, and we are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming outpouring of love, support, and prayers.

“We can confirm that Perez is receiving medical care, and our family’s focus right now is on his well-being,” the statement continued.

“We kindly ask that you respect Perez’s privacy, as well as the privacy of his family, during this difficult time. If and when we are able to share any updates, we will do so with everyone as soon as we can. Thank you for your compassion, understanding, and continued support.”

Hilton – real name Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr – is known for his eponymous gossip blog, which, in the 2000s, caused controversy for its no-holds-barred posts as well as its practice of outing celebrities who were keeping their sexuality private.

He himself expressed regret for his actions in the book TMI: My Life in Scandal, which was published in 2020. “I regret that I thought it was OK to out celebrities,” Hilton wrote. “That is something I no longer believe.”

Hilton has three children, born via surrogacy. He appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2015 and became the seventh housemate to be evicted, two days before the final.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.