Suspected people smugglers are using TikTok to advertise illegal entry into the UK via the English Channel, the BBC has found. Dozens of posts from multiple accounts show individuals carrying boats to the water, crossing the Channel, and arriving in the UK, with some claiming to guarantee safe passage for £5,000.
The videos, which could not be verified by the BBC, appear to show fierce competition between rival gangs, each boasting they are the 'best' operator for successful crossings. They advertise upcoming crossing dates and mock the government's Rwanda deportation policy, stating 'Rwanda has been cancelled'.
More than 18,000 migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats so far this year, with nearly 700 arriving on a single day last week. On Tuesday, 386 migrants in eight boats were detected. At least 27 migrants died in a single incident in November.
TikTok's terms of service forbid content that encourages criminal offences or dangerous activities. A spokesman said: 'This content has no place on TikTok. We do not allow content that depicts or promotes people smuggling...and have permanently banned these accounts.' However, the BBC has seen fresh videos posted weekly, suggesting gangs may be setting up new accounts after bans.
A Home Office spokesman said: 'Posts used by people smugglers to promote lethal crossings are totally unacceptable and requires social media companies to engage in dialogue to prevent their platforms being exploited.' The government has launched its own social media campaign to warn migrants of the risks.
