The Nation Newspaper

Tag: TikTok

  • EFCC rearrests TikTok influencer over Naira mutilation in Kano

    EFCC rearrests TikTok influencer over Naira mutilation in Kano

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has rearrested a popular TikTok influencer, Murja Ibrahim Kunya over abuse of Naira.

    Kunya’s arrest stemmed from a video that circulated online, showing her spraying Naira notes in a hotel room in Kano.

    The EFCC deemed this act a violation of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, which prohibits the abuse and mutilation of the Naira.

    The influencer was arrested in January 2025 and was granted administrative bail but failed to appear in court, leading to a renewed pursuit by the EFCC.

    After weeks of investigation, Kunya was finally apprehended on March 16, 2025.

    The EFCC has emphasized its commitment to protecting the integrity of the Nigerian currency, warning against acts of abuse, including spraying, stamping, or mutilating the Naira during social events.

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    Kunya is currently in custody, and awaiting arraignment.

    EFCC statement reads: “Specifically, Kunya was arrested for allegedly spraying Naira notes for fun during her stay in a hotel room at Tahir Guest Palace in Kano. The arrest followed her diligent pursuit by EFCC operatives after she jumped an administrative bail granted her by the Commission over one month ago.

    “She was initially arrested in January 2025 for violating the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, Act which prohibits the abuse and mutilation of the Naira. She was granted an administrative bail by the Commission pending her arraignment before the Federal High Court in Kano. However, when it was time for her court appearance, Kunya absconded, evading the legal processes

    “However, after weeks of intensive investigation and surveillance, EFCC operatives successfully re-arrested the TikTok Influencer on Sunday, March 16, 2025. She was subsequently conveyed to the Kano Zonal Directorate of the Commission, where she is currently in custody awaiting her arraignment”.

  • SMAPDA holds workshop on proper use of TikTok in Kano

    SMAPDA holds workshop on proper use of TikTok in Kano

    Social Media Awareness and Promotion Development Association (SMAPDA) has held a workshop in Kano state to harness the positive impact of TikTok.

    SMAPDA founder, Sharfaddin Bature, lamented how TikTok influencers misuse the video-sharing platform.

    He noted that SMAPDA, as a noble association of Northern influencers, will change the narrative by encouraging positive and impactful use of TikTok for better influence.

    He expressed dismay how a lot of TikTok users from Northern Nigeria were battling with poverty, despite their potentials and opportunities within the platform.

    Bature said it was the move to address the situation and promote the business that SMAPDA held the two-day seminar for Northern skit makers.

    According to Bature, despite the large user base, TikTok is often misused in the Northern region, promoting crises, divisions, and hatred among young people.

    “TikTok is the most used social media platform in Nigeria, with an estimated 23 million young Nigerians, ranking 17th globally. Northern Nigeria has an average of 15 million users, spread across thousands of influencers from the 19 northern states.

    “However, despite this large user base, TikTok is often misused in the region, promoting crises, divisions, and hatred among young people.

    “Unfortunately, it is only in Northern Nigeria where you will ses an influencer with millions of followers but battling to get food to eat. This is contrary in our counterparts of Southern region.

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    “TikTok users in southern region of Nigeria have vision, ambition and plans. If you engage a TikTok influencer with just 300,000 followers for advert, he will tell you something that will astonish you because they have ambition and target.

    “That is why we decided to organise this programme to invite the TikTok users with different content ideas to form a platform in order to change the narrative in a bid to move the north forward.

    “This seminar is aimed at creating awareness and sensitize the TikTok influencers on the opportunities within the platform that would make difference in their socioeconomic life and by extension the society at large.

    “These influencers are not carried along among the stakeholders in the society, especially the North. None of the Ulamas and the traditional rulers and even the government engage them to show them how to positively impact our society.

    “These people are always abused, criticised and castigated without guiding them on how to do the right thing,” he said.

  • Nigerian singers take to TikTok to launch careers, new songs

    Nigerian singers take to TikTok to launch careers, new songs

    Bro, I dey drop my new jam next month, and my only promo plan na TikTok. I get like five million naira, and I go use everything run am for TikTok,” Labosky, a budding Nigerian artist, told i-GEN NEWS excitedly.

    “No stress, TikTok na the in-thing now. E easy to blow there pass any other platform. Many artists don go global just by posting content regularly and linking up with influencers,” he added, sounding very convinced about his decision.

    Labosky is not alone in this mindset. Over the past few years, TikTok has become one of the biggest music launch pads for Nigerian artists, helping them go viral and gain international recognition.

    The platform’s short-form videos, highly engaged audience, and fast-moving algorithm make it easier for songs to spread rapidly.

    Many Nigerian artistes now see TikTok as a must-use platform for music promotion. The app’s ‘For You’ Page (FYP) randomly pushes content to users based on their interests, which means even an unknown artist can go viral overnight.

    This is why a lot of musicians don’t think twice before using TikTok as their primary promotional tool as well as a career launch pad for budding singers.

    A major reason for this success is TikTok’s challenge and trend culture.

    If a song has a catchy hook or a danceable beat, users naturally create content around it – whether through dance challenges, lip-sync videos, or short skits.

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    This method has worked for many Nigerian artists and examples abound.

    CKay’s ‘Love Nwantiti’ blew up on TikTok before becoming a global hit. Oxlade’s ‘Ku Lo Sa’ also gained massive traction on the platform before topping international charts. Even Portable’s ‘Zazoo Zeh’ became a street anthem partly due to its presence on TikTok.

    Unlike traditional music promotion that relies on radio play, TV appearances, or club DJs, TikTok allows any song to trend, whether it’s from an A-list artist or an underground talent.

    The key is to stay consistent, collaborate with influencers, and create engaging content that makes people want to use the song.

    With the way TikTok is unconsciously shaping the music industry, it’s clear that artists who understand the platform have a better chance of climbing the success ladder faster with just one song.

    So, the question is—will you take advantage of it or just watch others rise?

  • TikTok removes over 2m videos in Nigeria over violation – Report

    TikTok removes over 2m videos in Nigeria over violation – Report

    Social media giant TikTok has reinforced its commitment to online safety by removing over two million videos in Nigeria between July and September 2024, as detailed in its latest Q3 Community Guidelines Enforcement Report.

    A statement by the company on Tuesday said, 99.1% of the videos were removed within 24 hours.

    It, however, emphasised that the move was a global effort with local impact, aimed at reaffirming the platform’s resolve to online safety.

    The statement said: “With over a billion people around the world, using the platform and millions of pieces of content posted every day, TikTok continues to invest in technologies which improve content understanding and assess potential risks, allowing the platform to remove harmful content before it reaches viewers.

    “With a proactive detection rate now at 98.2% globally, TikTok is more efficient than ever at addressing harmful content before users encounter it. Globally, between July and September 2024, the platform removed over 147 million videos globally and of these, 118 million were removed through automation. In Nigeria, 92.1% of all videos were removed before a community member reported it to TikTok.”

    The report also shows that in Nigeria, the policy areas which saw the most videos removed included “Sensitive and mature themes, with 99.4% removals happening before any user reports, regulated goods and commercial activities, with 99.1% removals happening before any user reports.

    “This includes content such as attempts to defraud or scam members of our community or content that seeks to trade or market things such as firearms or explosive weapons, to name a few examples. Mental and behavioural health, with 99.9% of removals happening before any user reports. This reflects TikTok’s commitment to protecting its users, especially younger audiences, from content that could negatively affect mental health.

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    “TikTok’s mission to inspire creativity and bring joy is underpinned by a strong commitment to user safety, well-being, and content integrity. The platform prioritises a positive environment where users feel free to create, connect, and be entertained. To uphold these standards, TikTok continuously invests in Trust and Safety professionals who collaborate with advanced technology to enforce its robust Community Guidelines, Terms of Service, and Advertising Policies.”

    Stressing its continued commitment to the safety of its users and the online community, the statement added, “The Q3 Community Guidelines Enforcement Report highlights TikTok’s leadership in content moderation and safety standards, ensuring a secure and positive platform experience for Nigerian users.

    “TikTok remains dedicated to enhancing its safety measures and collaborating with global experts to safeguard its community”, the statement concluded.

  • Father in Pakistan kills U.S.-born teenage daughter over TikTok videos

    Father in Pakistan kills U.S.-born teenage daughter over TikTok videos

    A father in Pakistan killed his teenage daughter after she uploaded what he considered to be inappropriate videos on the social media app TikTok, police said on Thursday.

    The man, said to be in his 50s, recently brought his family back from the U.S. to settle in the South-Western Pakistani city of Quetta, local police chief, Babar Baloch, said.

    The father, now in custody, confessed to having shot his daughter earlier this week after she refused to be dressing more modestly and stop uploading what the family considered to be “indecent” videos on TikTok, Baloch said.

    Police are treating the incident as a case of so-called honour killing.

    Around 1,000 women are killed in Pakistan by close relatives, fathers, brothers and sons on the pretext of saving family honour, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

    The killers in most cases escape punishment because of a controversial Islamic clause in laws that allows relatives of the victim to pardon the perpetrator, rights body Amnesty International said.

    Pakistan approved a law in 2016 to partially do away with the controversial clause, but that has not proved enough to stop the practice, according to the HRCP.

    (dpa/NAN)

  • Relieved U.S. TikTok enthusiasts hope ‘magic’ returns as app is restored

    Relieved U.S. TikTok enthusiasts hope ‘magic’ returns as app is restored

    On Saturday night, millions of American TikTok users were met with an unexpected notice that their beloved app had been banned and shut down, marking the first time in five years they faced such a disruption.

    The ban lasted less than 24 hours, with service being restored on Sunday after President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on Monday, announced he would reinstate U.S. access.

    However, by the time the app was back online, many users had already started to consider life without it, as TikTok has captivated nearly half of all Americans.

    As users returned, some expressed their thoughts on the abrupt shutdown by sharing emotional goodbyes or thanking Trump on social media platform X. Others questioned whether the TikTok experience would ever be the same.

    “We’re back but at what cost?” one user mused on the platform.

    Trump’s action to save TikTok, owned by ByteDance, represents a reversal from his first term in office.

     In 2020, he aimed to ban the short-video app over concerns the company could share Americans’ personal info with the Chinese government.

    More recently, Trump has said he has “a warm spot in my heart for TikTok,” crediting the app with helping him win over young voters in the 2024 election.

    TikTok stopped working for U.S. users late on Saturday before a law shutting it down on national security grounds took effect on Sunday.

    Trump said he would “extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.”

    “I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.

    Though relieved, some users wonder if such a change to the company’s ownership structure would ultimately alter the TikTok experience.

     “I think back to when Elon bought Twitter and how dramatically it shifted overall sentiment and how people interacted on the app.

    “So that gives me a lot of concern,” said Kelly Sites, 38, referring to billionaire Elon Musk’s purchase of the social media site now known as X.

    “I don’t want the magic of the algorithm to change,” said Sites, a part-time content creator based in Kansas City, Kansas.

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    The algorithms TikTok relies on for its operations are deemed core to the overall operations of ByteDance, which would make a sale of the app with algorithms highly unlikely, Reuters reported in April.

    While questions linger about the future of TikTok, some users – particularly those who earn a living from it – lament their trust in the government will never be the same.

    “I think that this is a very sad time in history,” said Richard “Chuck” Fasulo, 37, a mechanic and auto-influencer from Duchess County, New York.

    Fasulo told Reuters that the app helped him dig his way out of debt, more than double his income and take his family on vacation for the first time last summer.

    Confronting the specter of losing the business opportunities that the app provided him was not a pleasant experience.

    “I think that myself, like many others, have gained a lot of disdain for the U.S. government,” said Fasulo, who has about 400,000 followers.

     For others, however, relief is the important thing, no matter its source.

    “I would choose a political stunt over losing TikTok forever,” Charlotte Warren, 31, a dating and relationships content creator based in Austin, Texas, told Reuters.

    Without TikTok, she said she could lose up to 60,000 dollars in annual income, over 200,000 followers and was unsure if she would continue posting content to other platforms.

    “I just wanted my app back.”

  • NITDA flags TikTok, X over tax fillings in Nigeria

    NITDA flags TikTok, X over tax fillings in Nigeria

    The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has indicated that TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) are yet to comply with tax filing requirements in accordance with Nigeria’s regulatory framework.

    The social media platforms were identified in a report titled “Analysis of Compliance with Laws and Misinformation Management by Social Media Platforms in Nigeria.”

    However, Google, LinkedIn, and Meta have met their tax compliance obligations as outlined in Part III, Sections 3–1, and Part II, Section 10 of the “Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms and Internet Intermediaries (CoP for ICSP/II).”

    “The report underscores the importance of the Code in addressing the dualities of social media as both a tool for progress and a potential source of harm. By enforcing compliance, NITDA seeks to create a transparent and responsible digital ecosystem in Nigeria,” the review reads.

    The agency urged companies to prioritize compliance, emphasizing that conformity to the Code of Practice is crucial for cultivating trust, ensuring user safety, and preventing the misuse of digital platforms for damaging purposes.

    The Code, introduced by NITDA in September 2022 in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), aims to mitigate online harm, promote accountability and create a safer digital environment.

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    Part II, Section 10 of the Code mandates Large Service Platforms (LSPs) to submit annual compliance reports to NITDA to ensure adherence to regulatory standards and foster transparency.

    It also requires the establishment of physical offices, the appointment of liaison officers for government communication, and the engagement of certified fact-checkers. Already, major LSPs have registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

    The NITDA report further notes the significant content moderation efforts undertaken by LSPs, including actions on fake accounts and harmful content — child pornography, hate speech, and misinformation.

    As of 2023, many accounts in Nigeria were closed for breaching the NITDA Code and the community rules of different platforms: 9,610,054 on Google; 691,596 on LinkedIn; 599,776 on TikTok, and 1,198,205 on X.

    The platforms also deleted millions of posts that violated the provisions of the Code and community guidelines: 59,670,247 posts on Google; 237,837 on LinkedIn; 4,578,858 on TikTok, and 168,500 on X.

  • How Tik Tok Algorithms Work and How to Create Viral Content

    How Tik Tok Algorithms Work and How to Create Viral Content

    The time has come when views on Tik Tok are the top priority, when adults don’t fall asleep without watching popular videos, and children start filming on Tik Tok before they have learned to connect words into sentences. But for business owners, Tik Tok affiliate marketers, bloggers and media buyers, this is not just a social network, but a bottomless source of traffic. They are interested in how to promote a video on Tik Tok not for the sake of a dose of dopamine, but solely for the growth of income from the monetization of Tik Tok traffic. Therefore, today we will open the curtain as much as possible – we will tell you how to promote TikTok, how the platform works and how to become popular here. Right now we are diving into TikTok algorithms, studying the community rules and ways to promote your videos.

    How TikTok algorithms work in 2024

    Tik Tok’s algorithms are based on a recommendation system. The app is increasingly insistent on telling viewers what the system thinks they want to see. This encourages bloggers and advertisers to create high-quality, personalized content. But none of them can say exactly how TikTok works, because even in 2024, the algorithms of the largest platform remain a secret under seven locks. Everything that is known about the social network today is based on the personal experience of users. So, let’s see how Tik Tok works, based on the observations of the authors themselves.

    • Tik Tok algorithms are built on artificial intelligence, that is, they are fully automated. Everything that happens in the video (music, voice acting, actions) is studied by AI and there is nothing human in it;). It also decides which video to show to the user. When selecting relevant content, the TikTok algorithm takes into account the topic of videos and the depth of views, repeat views and watchability, reactions and reposts.
    • For the platform, the number of reactions (likes and comments) is not the most important indicator. Priority is given to videos that are watched, bookmarked and watched again. Most often, Tik Tok recommendations include short videos.
    • There is no single proven algorithm of actions for getting into the recommendations. When increasing the viewability of content, many parameters are taken into account, most of which are not advertised. Of course, we won’t leave you without tips that Tik Tok business sharks use to get to the top, but we’ll talk about that later.
    • It’s easier for newcomers to advance; the system allows them to “travel” solely through random views. Given that the platform especially closely monitors new profiles, it is easier to promote videos to accounts without subscribers. The system itself will select the audience, showing the video to everyone until it understands who might be interested in it. The platform can endlessly promote a video to the top until activity begins to decline. It also happens that initially the video “didn’t work” for the platform itself, then random views won’t help you promote on Tik Tok.
    • If new videos are not published, the platform stops views for all previous ones. And vice versa – new content increases the viewability of previous ones. The system really “doesn’t want” tiktokers to stop, thus stimulating them to  generate new content regularly. It is important for beginners to know about this.
    • The feed constantly adapts to the interests of the viewer. At first, the user is shown 10 random videos, but what the next 10 will be depends on how the user reacted to the previous content. At the same time, there is no other way to change recommendations in Tik Tok other than activity. If a viewer wants to change the content of the feed, he needs to look for topics that interest him, watch and leave reactions in such videos.
    • Tik Tok algorithms do not stop changing, improving, and learning on their own, and the platform does not always notify users about changes. Until they notice the updates and adapt to them, views could easily drop. This is a struggle where you need to be prepared for anything, attentive and analyze a lot so as not to “drown.”
    • Previously, TikTok gave the first views within the first hour, in 2024 you will have to wait several hours or days.
    • The result in TikTok recommendations directly depends on the constant retention of viewers. The more videos are watched in full, shared, and watched again, the better.

    5 working tips to get into recommendations

    • Participate in challenges and trends

    Participation in trends and challenges TikTok constantly lives its own life, and to be in the spotlight, you need to be aware of the latest trends and challenges. Take part in viral challenges, make your own interpretations of popular dances,  encourage people to make fun challenges. Such content usually generates heated discussion and quickly spreads across the platform.

    • Use creative and non-standard ideas

    Don’t be afraid to experiment with content! The more unique the ideas, the greater the chances of attracting the attention of visitors. Develop your style and approach to creating videos, do something new that hasn’t been done on TikTok yet. Don’t forget to add elements of surprise and humor to your videos, this is always appreciated by viewers.

    • Use hashtags wisely

    Hashtags are a great way to attract new viewers to your content. However, you shouldn’t overload your video with a huge number of hashtags, as this can scare away the audience. Only use hashtags that are truly relevant to the content of the video and your audience. This will help your content get into the appropriate categories and recommendations.

    • Collaborate with popular authors

    If you have the opportunity to collaborate with popular authors, do not miss this opportunity. Shared content can attract audiences from other accounts and help you get featured in recommendations. However, remember that cooperation must be mutual and beneficial for both parties.

    • Constantly interact with your audience

    Don’t forget to maintain active interaction with your target audience. Reply to comments, ask questions, ask for viewers’ opinions on the content. This will help create a more loyal and engaged audience that will interact with the content more often, which will have a positive impact on its distribution and recommendations.

    Conclusion

    It is worth emphasizing that the main assistant in promoting Tik Tok is the experience of interacting with the platform. You can try to collect data on algorithm behavior patterns as much as you like, and cancel it all out in one day because of the next update. One thing is certain — the platform is developing and in 2024 Tik Tok will no longer be the same as it was a year ago. To stay up to date with the latest changes, go to website and follow the news.

  • Canada orders shutdown of TikTok business operation

    Canada orders shutdown of TikTok business operation

    The Canadian government has ordered Chinese-owned TikTok to shut down its business operations in Canada, citing national security concerns.

    Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne who announced the decision on Wednesday, said that the order was issued to address risks linked to ByteDance Ltd.’s creation of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.

    “The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” Champagne said in a statement.

    However, the government clarified that this does not block Canadians from accessing the app.

    Users can continue to create new accounts and browse the platform.

    Despite this, the government urged Canadians to adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the risks of using social media platforms.

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    In response, a TikTok spokesperson confirmed the decision would lead to significant job losses in Canada, adding that the company plans to challenge the order in court.

    “We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson confirmed. “The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests, and for businesses to thrive.”

    The controversy surrounding TikTok is not confined to Canada. In the United States, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill in March 2024 to ban TikTok unless ByteDance divests its ownership.

    The bill is set to take effect in January 2025, unless President-elect Trump intervenes. Despite leading the initial push to ban TikTok in 2020, Trump has expressed support for the platform.

    TikTok has been banned on federal devices in the United States since 2020.

  • TikTok deletes over two million videos in Nigeria— Report

    TikTok deletes over two million videos in Nigeria— Report

    Social media app TikTok has announced that it has removed over 2.1 million videos in Nigeria in the second quarter of 2024 due to violations of its community standards.

    Tiktok stated that the move is a part of the company’s continuous efforts to improve content moderation and make the platform safer for users in the Community Guidelines Enforcement Report that was released on Tuesday.

    “Key findings show that 99.1 percent of these videos were proactively removed before users reported them, with 90.7 per cent taken down within 24 hours. These figures highlight TikTok’s commitment to staying ahead of harmful content, ensuring a safer platform for Nigerian users,” the report noted.

    The deleted videos represent less than 1 per cent of the total uploads in Nigeria during the reporting period.

    Read Also: TikTok Video Downloader

    The social media firm reported that in June 2024, it deleted over 178 million videos worldwide, with automated technologies enabling 144 million of the deletes.

    “With a proactive detection rate now at 98.2 percent globally, TikTok is more efficient than ever at addressing harmful content before users encounter it.”

    It assured that it would continue to invest in technologies aimed at improving content moderation and understanding potential risks.