The Lagos Police have confirmed that popular TikTok star Oloba Salo was shot in the leg by l gunmen in the Lekki area of Lagos.
According to the spokesperson of Lagos Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, Oloba Salo is receiving medical attention.
Hundeyin appreciated the doctors at Evercare Hospital for promptly treating Oloba Salo and notifying the police.
He wrote on X: “Special appreciation/commendation to Evercare Hospital, Lekki for promptly accepting/commencing medical treatment of gunshot victim, Ojesanmi Afeez aka Oloba Salo, and equally promptly notifying the Police.
“This is the way to go in line with the Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshots Act.
Prior to the police’s reaction, a trending video showed Oloba Salo’s white AMG GLE 43 Mercedes Benz car stained with blood with a case of bullet on the driver seat.
His friend, Tunde Perry, another TikToker, raised the alarm Oloba Salo was fighting for life after being shot and his gold chain was stolen at a filling station in Lekki.
Oloba Salo had recently requested security personnel from his manager, Sula, in a video, citing concerns for his safety.
Salo is also known as Ogba president of TikTok, known for his unique blend of Yoruba and English and energetic live videos.
More than a dozen states in the United States and the District of Columbia have filed lawsuits against TikTok, alleging the popular short-form video app is harming youth mental health by designing its platform to be addictive to kids.
The lawsuits stem from a national investigation into TikTok, which was launched in March 2022 by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from many states, including New York, California, Kentucky and New Jersey. All of the complaints were filed in state courts.
At the heart of each lawsuit is the TikTok algorithm, which powers what users see on the platform by populating the app’s main “For You” feed with content tailored to people’s interests.
The lawsuits also emphasise design features that they say make children addicted to the platform, such as the ability to scroll endlessly through content, push notifications that come with built-in “buzzes” and face filters that create unattainable appearances for users.
In its filings, the District of Columbia called the algorithm “dopamine-inducing,” and said it was created to be intentionally addictive so the company could trap many young users into excessive use and keep them on its app for hours on end. TikTok does this despite knowing that these behaviors will lead to “profound psychological and physiological harms,” such as anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia and other long-lasting problems, the complaint said.
“It is profiting off the fact that it’s addicting young people to its platform,” District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb said in an interview.
“We strongly disagree with these claims, many of which we believe to be inaccurate and misleading. We’re proud of and remain deeply committed to the work we’ve done to protect teens and we will continue to update and improve our product,” said TikTok spokesman Alex Haurek in a reply to the lawsuits. “We’ve endeavored to work with the Attorneys General for over two years, and it is incredibly disappointing they have taken this step rather than work with us on constructive solutions to industry wide challenges.”
The social media firm does not allow children under 13 to sign up for its main service and restricts some content for everyone under 18.
But, Washington and several other states said in their filing that children can easily bypass those restrictions, allowing them to access the service adults use despite the company’s claims that its platform is safe for children.
“TikTok claims that is safe for young people, but that is far from true. In New York and across the country, young people have died or gotten injured doing dangerous TikTok challenges and many more are feeling more sad, anxious, and depressed because of TikTok’s addictive features,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement.
Their lawsuit also takes aim at other parts of the company’s business.
The district alleges TikTok is operating as an “unlicensed virtual economy” by allowing people to purchase TikTok Coins – a virtual currency within the platform – and send “Gifts” to streamers on TikTok LIVE who can cash it out for real money.
TikTok takes a 50% commission on these financial transactions but hasn’t registered as a money transmitter with the US Treasury Department or authorities in the district, according to the complaint.
Officials say teens are frequently exploited for sexually explicit content through TikTok’s LIVE streaming feature, which has allowed the app to operate essentially as a “virtual strip club” without any age restrictions.
They say the cut the company gets from the financial transactions allows it to profit from exploitation.
“Carry Go” has become a fan favourite on TikTok, with approximately 30,000 videos created and over 31 million views in less than three weeks since its release.
Released on August 23, 2024, “Carry Go” showcases Pryme’s exceptional talent and creativity. The song has captivated loyal fans and new listeners across Nigeria and is gaining momentum on TikTok throughout Africa.
Featuring soulful lyrics and a smooth Afrobeat sound, “Carry Go” highlights Pryme’s distinctive vocals and style, making it a standout hit for fans of Afrobeat and quality music.
Experience the rich sounds of Pryme’s latest track and make sure “Carry Go” earns a spot on your playlist.
Former President Donald Trump has joined TikTok, the video-sharing app he once tried to ban when in office as president.
He posted his first video from a Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event, showing the former president waving to fans and posing for selfies at the UFC fight in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday night.
“It’s an honour,” Trump said the video, after being welcomed on the platform by UFC president Dana White. “That was a good walk on right?”
The account now has more than 3.7 million followers and the post has been seen more than 63 million times.
In contrast, President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign TikTok account – which has been active since February – currently has more than 345,000 followers.
“We will leave no front undefended and this represents the continued outreach to a younger audience consuming pro-Trump and anti-Biden content,” Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement.
“There’s no place better than a UFC event to launch President Trump’s TikTok, where he received a hero’s welcome and thousands of fans cheered him on.”
The crowd at Newark’s Prudential Center broke into chants of “We love Trump!” and another insulting Biden with an expletive.
Trump has used appearances at UFC fights throughout his campaign to project an image of strength and to try to appeal to Americans who may not closely engage with politics or traditional news sources.
During his administration, Trump amplified concerns about TikTok’s links to China as part of his broader anti-China agenda.
He put TikTok and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, at the centre of US tensions with China and pushed unsuccessfully to ban the app from the United States by executive order.
President Biden and a majority of lawmakers have echoed Trump’s concern, with Biden signing legislation that would force TikTok to sell to another company or face an outright ban.
But Trump now says he opposes a nationwide TikTok ban, adding that such a policy would only alienate young Americans and benefit Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp.
TikTok has previously said that any alleged national security risks linked to the app are purely hypothetical and there has been no publicly presented evidence suggesting the Chinese government has accessed the personal data of TikTok’s US users.
With over a billion active users, TikTok is one of the most rewarding platforms for any marketer or brand. With enough recognition, you can advertise your product and services to a vast audience, leading to increased sales and the overall success of your business.
In other cases, you can easily build a name for yourself so brands and big corporations can come knocking at your door for partnership opportunities. But, as much as this platform has so many benefits to offer your business, it can sometimes be a nightmare.
That’s because it takes a lot of effort to even get noticed on TikTok. Luckily, we’ve come up with proven techniques that could help you boost your profile’s visibility.
How to Get Noticed on TikTok
1) Focus on Engagement
Engaging with other users’ videos on TikTok is crucial for increasing visibility because it signals to the algorithm that you are an active participant in the community. By liking, commenting, and sharing content from others, users can show support and increase the chances of their own content being seen by a wider audience.
However, buying likes on TikTok from Media Mister is a highly effective strategy for those seeking to expedite the process and quickly boost visibility. With their services, users receive 100% authentic likes from real users, ensuring genuine engagement and interaction.
Media Mister’s high retention rate means that purchased likes will remain on videos, further enhancing visibility. Additionally, their secure payment methods and money-back guarantee provide added peace of mind. So, for those ready to increase visibility on TikTok, consider buying TikTok likes from Media Mister today!
2) Stay Updated with Trends
Staying updated with the latest trends will help you stay informed about what’s new. That will make it easy to know trending songs you can leverage to reach your target audience. Start by checking out the popular music, sounds & effects.
Additionally, you can go to the Explore Page and research what your competitors are doing. Leveraging these elements allows you to tap into the collective interest of a larger TikTok user base. That directly translates to higher engagement rates and a broader reach.
3) Know Your Target Audience
When done properly, knowing your audience makes it possible to create content that evokes an emotional response from your target user base. And when these people enjoy your content, they will engage with it through likes, shares, and comments, further boosting your visibility.
That said, take this opportunity to research more about your target audience, their demographics, and interests. The perfect place to start is by checking the TikTok analytics section, where you will learn about your viewer’s location, engagement, and online behavior. Finally, you can use this information to customize your content strategy in a way that aligns with your fan base’s interest.
4) Share Quality Content
There’s no easier way to say this: content is the heart and soul of TikTok’s success and engagement. If you really want your target audience to stop scrolling every time your content shows up, then you have to ensure it has exceptional quality.
Invest in high-end cameras and microphones to ensure your videos are crisp-clear. Then, use software editing tools to improve the engagement of your content. More importantly, take a moment to do enough research and create content that’s worth your audience’s time.
Depending on your niche, you can create inspiring, informative, or educative content to entice your audience. Above all, the intro has to be attention-grabbing so you can easily attract your target audience to watch the rest of your content.
5) Use Proper Hashtags
TikTok’s algorithm still uses hashtags to categorize content, and you can use this information to improve the visibility of your video. When you use hashtags properly, your videos appear in the search results and the For You Page of your potential audience.
Research trending hashtags related to your niche and add them to your captions to maximize your video’s exposure. However, avoid using irrelevant and generic hashtags since they may dilute your content’s visibility.
6) Participate in Challenges
Challenges on TikTok typically already have a following. That means when you participate in these challenges, you increase your video and profile visibility. What’s more, popular challenges help you to showcase your creativity while also aligning your content with trending topics.
Start by searching for popular challenges within your niche and listing down any that might suit your audience and brand voice. Then, find creative ways to add these challenges into your content strategy, making your videos more relatable to your target audience.
Additionally, you can stitch your videos to encourage reactions from your audience, potentially leading to collaborations with other influencers. In turn, you are able to reach a wider audience of engaging users.
7) Schedule and Post Regularly
Learning how to perfectly time your content uploads is just as important as creating the video itself. That’s because scheduled and consistent posting maintains your presence on TikTok, ensuring your audience is always engaged and active.
More importantly, by following through with your posting schedule, you establish expectations and habits in your followers. That encourages them to keep coming back to check out new content on your profile.
As a plus, frequent uploads lead to more visibility as the algorithm rewards your consistency with more exposure. That makes it easy for your content to regularly appear in front of your target audience.
8) Engage with Your Audience
Your audience will likely help you amplify your reach. That’s why it’s important to constantly engage with your audience and make them feel heard. Additionally, by replying to or liking your follower’s comments, you are able to foster a sense of community.
Such interactions strengthen your relationship with your audience and increase their chances of recommending your content to others. On top of that, when your fan base sees that you are actively interacting with them, they are more likely to return.
9) Share on Other Media
As much as TikTok has a vast audience, it’s important to market your account on other social media platforms. That will greatly boost your reach and encourage other followers from different avenues to check out your TikTok content.
Share your videos on platforms like Instagram, X, Facebook and LinkedIn. Take advantage of each social media site’s unique features to further amplify your reach. For instance, Instagram is the best place to post your Behind-The-Scenes clips, while X offers a perfect venue for polls and direct conversations with your potential audience.
10) Collaborate with Others
Every social media influencer who’s been successful has, at one point or another, worked with other creatives. This technique allows you to boost your reach and gain access to an already active crowd who might be interested in your content.
Take your time and research other influencers in your niche who are willing to collaborate with you. Then, send them a direct message showcasing your interest in working together.
You can both work on stitched videos and duets or simply host a live event together. The goal is to ensure you find an influencer who has a similar audience and whose content aligns with your brand voice.
Conclusion
And that’s it! These secret hacks will get you noticed no matter what your industry is. In addition to that, thanks to these marketing tricks, you will also cultivate a community of loyal and engaging followers, which is all you need to reach even greater success on TikTok.
The European Commission on Monday opened an investigation into TikTok over suspected breaches of European Union rules on child protection and advertising transparency.
The commission is investigating whether TikTok’s algorithms may be addictive or create “rabbit hole effects.
“The EU executive is also looking into the privacy settings TikTok provides for minors, as well as whether it is meeting obligations to provide a searchable repository of the ads shown on its platform.
The probe concerns potential breaches of the Digital Services Act (DSA), a relatively recent law governing online platforms.
The DSA requires platforms to manage various risks, including mental well-being and the rights of children.
It also forbids using minors’ data to show them targeted ads.
If TikTok is ultimately found to have breached the DSA’s risk mitigation rules, it could face fines as high as six per cent of its global annual revenue.
Nigeria’s lovers of TikTok, a popular social media platform, have pushed for more support for the less privileged in the society.
They believe reaching out to people in need is one way of complementing governments’ efforts at narrowing the gaps between the haves and have-nots.
Operating under the aegis of Tikfamily Foundation, a non-for-profit organisation, the group spoke when its members reached out to the less privileged residing in Bariga area of Lagos State in the spirit of the Yuletide.
A member and Coordinator of the Tikfamily Outreach, Mr. Samuel Olorunwa Adelaja, said the outreach was initiated by a group of friends who met on a popular social media platform called TikTok, adding that it was designed to alleviate the plight of the less privileged.
“This is a yearly outreach that we do to support people and put a smile on the faces of people, especially the less privileged and the poor in the society. We believe people and organisations could come together and assist in their own little ways to complement what governments are doing.
“We are all aware of the situation in the country. The economy has been tough because of some of the new policies of the government which we hope will bring out good results. So, the Tikfamilly finds it imperative at this time to share food stuffs to the residents of the community and put a smile on their faces.
“We don’t have to wait for the government all the time; we believe we can do something out of our own convenience to support our people. That is just the spirit of our December Outreach.”
The foundation which has been in existence since May 2021, over the years have been doing some solidarity work going to schools to share writing materials, visited hospitals, and also supporting businesses.
Another member of the group, Israel David, said the foundation was formed by a group of people with like minds who bring out their resources to support the less privileged.
He said the foundation is not looking only at Africa but aimed at touching the world and spreading the love but they are starting with Nigeria.
One of the beneficiaries of the outreach, Mrs Offor Grace, appreciated the foundation for considering the less privileged, urging it to extend the gesture to children too.
”I commend The Tikfamily for sharing food items and other things, but another aspect is that they didn’t include the children.”
Another beneficiary, Mazi Offor also appreciated the foundation and advised the government to learn from the initiative the Tikfamily has done.
He said: “What the Tikfamily did for the people is appreciative of government or any non-governmental organization that would be doing such thing it would be a help to alleviate the suffering of the people am grateful to Tikfamily thank you all for your help and support to the populace.”
