TRIPOLI, Libya — TikTok has transformed from a borderless platform into a tool used to promote migration across boundaries.
In Libya, traffickers have exploited the platform's wide reach and lack of proper oversight to promote illegal activities, and TikTok has become a haven for human traffickers preying on vulnerable migrants. With a surge in the number of refugees and illegal migrants in the country, smugglers have turned to TikTok to promote their services and entice new victims.
Shocking scenes
Omar al-Hamali, a 22-year-old Libyan who escaped to Germany a few months ago after securing a journey through TikTok, told Al-Monitor via WhatsApp, “Libyans will always find a way to leave Libya. There is no future, and [we face] the threat of abduction, extortion, and loss of freedom. We faced beatings and recklessness from armed men who worked with the smuggler, but today I've started a new life.”
