The emergence of social media has democratised the dissemination of information to the extent that it has put pressure on mainstream media to compete for visibility. However, mainstream media filter and verify the authenticity of information before publication, unlike social media platforms, where anyone can publish content, including fake or fabricated news. Additionally, mainstream media consider ethics and morality in the dissemination of information, whereas social media ethics and morality often depend on individual consciousness. Although social media platforms have policies that users are expected to follow, these policies often prove ineffective despite efforts to remove unethical content.
Today, my focus is on TikTok, a platform that provides video editing features and allows users to post videos. Before delving into the main issue, it’s worth noting that TikTok has been banned in several countries, including the United States, Denmark, Australia, France, Belgium, Taiwan, and others on government devices. Even in China, where TikTok originated, the international version has been banned, with Chinese citizens required to use the strictly controlled local version.
Other countries that have banned TikTok include Iran, Afghanistan, Malta and Latvia. TikTok in Nigeria should be banned for significantly promoting immorality and toxic content.
TikTok users are generally expected to create educational, technological, and entertaining content for the benefit of the public. Unfortunately, the platform has increasingly become a venue for promoting toxic and unethical content, particularly from Northern Nigeria. For now, I will focus on Northern Nigeria before addressing the broader situation across the country in my next article.
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In Northern Nigeria, abusive speech contradicts both cultural norms and religious beliefs. Despite this, the rise of TikTok has seen a troubling trend among many youths from the region. Rather than using the TikTok to advance technological development, promote cultural and religious values, or provide educational content, majority have turned to creating abusive content. Particularly concerning is the trend of women leading this shift towards toxicity, often to attract large numbers of followers. This phenomenon is exacerbated by the fact that followers tend to encourage such content by flocking to those who produce it.
Preliminary surveys of TikTok content from Northern Nigeria reveal that creators of abusive and sexual content often garner more followers at a short period of time than those sharing religious or moral teachings, including Islamic scholars. Notably, a significant portion of those promoting this harmful content are divorcees and young girls mostly from very poor background.
Apart from the abusive content, women and young girls have found a new trend of creating sexual content by posting their half-naked videos on TikTok, dancing while shaking hips and front side, engaging in sexy talks and exposing sensitive parts of their body to attract followers and viewers. It has reached an extent where you see videos of very young girls and divorcees on TikTok from Northern Nigeria showing themselves half-naked in the name of entertainment to gather followers and viewers.
Previously, it was extremely rare to see anyone publicly promoting the non-existence of Allah in Northern Nigeria. However, with the advent of TikTok, this has changed. Now, it has become increasingly common to see videos on the platform that promote the non-existence of Allah, encouraging others to abandon their religion and embrace atheism. This shift has sparked significant discussions and controversies within the region.
The situation is further complicated by the troubling trend of politicians celebrating creators of toxic content. These individuals are often rewarded with luxurious gifts, such as cars and houses, and are branded as “celebrities”. This acknowledgment from politicians encourages other young once to produce similar toxic content on TikTok in hopes of gaining large followings and eventually receiving similar recognition from the politicians.
One prominent example is a woman in a northern state known for her creation of toxic content. Her videos, which focus on explicit, abusive and sexually suggestive material, starkly contradict religious norms and cultural values. Despite the negative impact of her content, she has amassed a significant following of over one million and she is frequently seen in photos with prominent politicians from the region. When the Hisba (a moral police organisation) initially intervened, she was issued a warning, which she disregarded. The Hisba then took legal action, but she was released on bail and continued to post her controversial content on TikTok, defying the court order. Adding to the controversy, a high-profile politician publicly defended her, citing human rights, further complicating the situation and undermining efforts to address the issue.
A man residing in Kano recently gained notoriety on TikTok for his abusive “skills,” quickly amassing a large following. Wealthy individuals have been flying him from one location to another to perform his abusive acts, often laughing along. Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, the general commander of Hisba, had to summon the man to his office to caution him about the inappropriate and morally bankrupt content.
No responsible person would want their children exposed to such material. To my astonishment, I later saw a video of the man in the presidential villa. Shortly after, I noticed appointment letter bearing the presidential letterhead circulating online, “Appointment As Special Assistant On Entertainment,” by an aide of Nigerian president. This revelation shocked me, I had to start following the media closely. I am yet to hear any denial from the presidency, which suggests the appointment might be genuine. On the contrary, I read in a newspaper, published three weeks ago, confirming the appointment.
One troubling aspect of this issue is that the toxic contents are created in Hausa, a language widely spoken and understood across Northern Nigeria. This includes not only the local population but also many people from other parts of Nigeria who reside in the North and speak Hausa fluently. As a result, the toxic content produced by these creators reaches a vast audience, significantly contributing to the moral decay within Northern Nigeria.
Despite the troubling prevalence of toxic content, there are individuals from Northern Nigeria with substantial followings who engage in legitimate and moral activities, such as Islamic preaching, cooking, etc. However, these positive contributors represent a minority compared to the growing influx of harmful content. Given the rapid expansion of this toxic material, it is crucial to consider measures similar to those taken by other countries, banning the TikTok to block access and mitigate its negative impact.
Chiroma, Ph.D. Artificial Intelligence,
University of Hafr Al Batin, Saudi Arabia, [email protected]
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