A number TikTok accounts have allegedly been caught showcasing katana swords, axes and knuckle dusters to users – sparking campaigners to call on authorities to ‘get tough with the tech executives’
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.
Patrick Green, chief executive of the Ben Kinsella Trust, a charity working to reduce knife crime, said it was time to “get tough with the tech executives” who run the platforms.
“This is irresponsible behaviour by TikTok and other platforms [that are] openly allowing criminal activity to take place, which puts the safety of the public at risk and fuels a culture that normalises the use of lethal weapons,” he said.
It comes after Axel Rudakubana, who pleaded guilty to the murders of three little girls in Southport last year, was found to have dodged Amazon’s verification checks to purchase a kitchen knife. The teen then broke into a Taylor Swift-themed party and launched a frenzied attack.
He was jailed for a minimum of 52 years for the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven – and the attempted murders of another eight children, as well as two adults, Leanne Lucas and Jonathan Hayes.
A TikTok spokesman said: “We strictly prohibit the sale of dangerous weapons.. and proactively remove 96 per cent of content which breaches these guidelines. We also work closely with government and law enforcement to actively tackle this important issue.”
