TikTok creators are now deliberately dressing children in tattered clothing—often freshly cut with scissors moments before going live—and broadcasting these images to international viewers.
Kampala—A growing number of youthful Ugandans are coming under scrutiny for using TikTok Live to solicit money from donors by staging exaggerated scenes of poverty. The trend, which echoes last week’s BBC-exposed “dog scam” in Mityana, has sparked debate about digital ethics and the country’s image abroad.
According to Emily Achom, some TikTok creators are now deliberately dressing children in tattered clothing—often freshly cut with scissors moments before going live—and broadcasting these images to international viewers. The livestreams are marked by constant pleas for digital gifts, likes, and “tap tap tap” sounds, each of which can be converted into real money.
While creativity is encouraged, Achom questions what image Uganda is exporting to the world. “To many outsiders, it no longer looks like entertainment; it looks like organized digital begging with ring lights and background music,” she observed. “#TikTok Live has slowly become a virtual roadside stage where sympathy is monetized in real time.”
Observers are calling for young Ugandans to showcase the nation’s talent, innovation, and hard work instead of rehearsed suffering for online gifts. The phenomenon has prompted calls for both platform regulation and a broader conversation about digital responsibility and national reputation.
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