BBC Trending: The cost of an addiction to Somali TikTok battles
Cash-strapped and verbally abused – players of the TikTok game taking Somalia by storm
The Documentary Podcast · BBC World Service
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Show Notes
They call it the Big Game. Somali influencers are taking part in clan-based battles on TikTok. A US college student who spent $4000 in just four minutes tells the BBC she regrets ever getting involved. She felt addicted to the draw of defending her clan and says she was later harassed by an influencer. The trend is taking Somali social media by storm but many are worried these games go beyond entertainment and are contributing to a toxic environment online.