TikTok in Somalia: A Breeding Ground for Clan Violence, Division, and Hate..

TikTok is the most popular app among Somalia’s youth, and likely the entire country. The Chinese-owned, video-based app is ubiquitous on smartphones across the East African nation. Young people, who make up the majority of the population, are its most active users. TikTok’s popularity stems from its ease of use and its content focus on music and short-form videos…

Unlike legacy platforms like Facebook, which rely on written content, TikTok leverages videos and music, making it accessible even for illiterate users who can still create and share content to grow their audience. The app’s organic reach and built-in algorithm, which extensively promotes videos, further contribute to its widespread popularity.

A double-edged sword

TikTok serves as a platform for news, entertainment, and information for its users. Users with a substantial following can leverage their popularity to earn a living. Often called “influencers,” these prominent users can secure brand ambassador deals, advertising jobs, and product sales on their channels, and collaborate with companies to generate income. Others use the platform to showcase their talents, skills, and services to a wider audience.

However, like many other social media platforms, TikTok is a double-edged sword that has resulted in significant issues in the country. While privacy and security are major concerns elsewhere, in Somalia, the app is misused for various harmful activities, including blackmail through shaming content, promotion of sexually explicit material linked to Telegram, addiction, and a lack of parental control for young users. An even more concerning, yet often overlooked, issue is the app’s role in promoting violence, particularly clan-based violence.

Hateful and divisive content

TikTok has become a breeding ground for tribal violence. Whenever clashes erupt in the Horn of Africa nation, which occur frequently, videos and content related to the conflicts spread rapidly on the platform. This fuels clan loyalty among Somali users and content creators, as they take sides and support their respective clans, while rival clans’ members naturally back their own creators.

Online clan wars

The full extent of TikTok’s role in fueling violence in Somalia cannot be captured in just a few examples. The platform has become a tool for division, glorifying clan superiority and fueling insults. It’s commonplace to see TikTok users brandishing their clan flags and singing songs that extol their clan’s dominance. What was once a rarely seen and mostly frowned-upon display of tribal pride has become normalized on TikTok, particularly among young Somalis both within the country and in the diaspora. Many users include their tribal flag in their bios, and games are frequently played where the clan with the most active presence on the platform garners the most gifts and generates the most income for their influencers.

Somali Government bans TikTok

A complete ban on TikTok may be difficult for the Somali government to enforce, particularly considering the federal structure of the country, with each state often controlling its own telecommunications company. However, developing regulations to govern the app’s use could significantly reduce these issues. Such regulations could ensure continued access for those who use the platform for legitimate income generation, while simultaneously curbing the spread of violence, indecency, and content promoting clan superiority and tribal insults.