Members of the LGBTQ+ community in Ethiopia are attributing a surge in harassment and physical attacks to TikTok videos that promote violence against queer individuals.
TikTok Needs to Take Down the Videos
A local support group called House of Guramayle has pointed out that TikTok fails to effectively remove posts advocating for the whipping, stabbing, and killing of LGBTQ+ people. These videos are also disclosing the identities and personal information of Ethiopians on the platform.
A Conservative Nation
Ethiopia, a conservative East African nation, criminalizes homosexuality with penalties of up to 15 years in prison. While LGBTQ+ individuals have historically faced abuse, the hostility has been escalating. The LGBTQ+ support group co-founder, Bahiru Shewaye, has claimed that TikTok is being exploited to fuel violence – but the platform’s response has been almost non-existent.
Stomping, Stabbing, and Killing
Several videos that violate TikTok’s community guidelines by promoting violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity have been identified. In one video, a prominent Christian pastor advocates for public whippings of gay people, claiming that such actions would deter gay tourists from visiting the country. Another video calls for stabbing gay men in the buttocks, while a third features a young man making a gesture of stomping, accompanied by a call for killing LGBTQ+ individuals. These videos are primarily in Amharic – the main language in Ethiopia.
LGBTQ+ Ethiopians Feel Unsafe
The violent surge in harmful content has left LGBTQ+ Ethiopians feeling unsafe and people have recounted instances of being attacked after being outed against their will on TikTok. Furthermore, the situation has even prompted some of them to flee to neighboring countries.
Hotels and Social Norms
The online hate has also extended to Ethiopian public institutions. Recently, Addis Ababa’s tourism bureau instructed hotels to prohibit “homosexual activities” and warned of consequences if they occurred. Additionally, the police department established a hotline to report “illegal activities” that deviate from social norms.
LGBTQ+ People Aren’t Protected
LGBTQ+ activists have long warned about the link between online hate and offline violence. A report by GLAAD, an advocacy group, indicates that major social media platforms – including TikTok – inadequately protect LGBTQ+ users from hate speech and harassment, particularly those who are transgender, non-binary, or gender non-conforming.
Online Commenters Were Horrified
The story was shared across social media and people were appalled. “The internet is a double-edged sword. It can inspire and educate or spread fear and hate,” one person wrote. “[TikTok] is designed as a means of psychological influence to control the youth and direct their narrative,” another replied.
LGBTQ+ People and Social Media
Discussing LGBTQ+ people and social media, another wrote: “There’s not a ton of us out there, we’re randomly distributed across the population instead of just being born in one big cluster of a community like other minority groups, and we face a lot of hate and discrimination in real life – so there’s this huge tendency for us to congregate in online communities, far more so than the average straight person.”
The Commenter Continued
The commenter went on to discuss X, formally known as Twitter. “That’s part of why it’s such a huge shame that Twitter became so hostile to us. Like yeah, social media is terrible and cancerous and we could all stand to go outside – but a lot of queer people congregated there due to a lack of community in real life,” they wrote.
Others Blamed Religion
Some online commenters tried to steer the conversation in a different direction. “Blame the real culprit. Religion,” one person wrote. “I can see how social media could be contributing to this but I think it’s important to discuss what’s pushing people to spread hate on social media in the first place. The answer is probably religion,” another said.
A Call to Action
Some commenters called for people to boycott TikTok. “I say we boycott TikTok until they sort this out,” one person wrote. Another said: “This is so messed up. TikTok needs to step up and shut down these creators. I want to help but I don’t know how. Boycott maybe?”
Old Fashioned Beliefs and Internet Hate
Some commenters expressed empathy and wished Ethiopians well. One wrote: “It’s odd how it’s a clash of old-fashioned beliefs and internet hate. Evidently, it’s powerful and not in a good way. I’m sending all my love to LGBT Ethiopians. I can’t imagine how awful it must be. I really do hope things get better soon.”
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