TikTok slammed as social media app used to 'sell blades without age verification'
TikTok slammed as social media app used to 'sell blades without age verification'
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TikTok has come under fire after allegedly allowing its users to advertise swords, combat knives and knuckle dusters - with prospective buyers reportedly invited to join encrypted chat groups to purchase them. The app, which has built an enormous usership of 1.6 billion people worldwide since it started gaining traction in 2019, remains one the fastest-growing video-sharing apps in the world.
But a number of accounts have allegedly been caught showcasing the weapons - from katana swords and axes, to curved blades with serrated edges and knuckle dusters, reports The Times. While owning an axe or a sword in the UK is not considered illegal, carrying one in public without lawful authority or reasonable excuse is an offence under the Criminal Justice Act 1988. Private possession of a knuckle duster has been illegal in the UK since 2019.
One TikTok profile, claiming to be based in Birmingham, reportedly shared a 20-second clip advertising four "war-ready" katana swords. A user asked: "How much for just 1?", to which the seller sent them their Telegram handle, adding: "Send me direct message to get one.".
Another US-based seller shared a video of a 'Mystery Knife Box' containing a knife hidden inside a pen, a baton and a number of flick knives, all for £28. A caption alongside the clip read: "British people, do you need a baton and this mystery box to protect yourself?" In a seperate video, a man was seen unboxing four knuckle dusters, one hiding a flick knife.
