TikTok’s Money-Making Secrets: How Kids’ Live Streams Generate Revenue

Three young children huddle in front of the camera, nibbling and fidgeting. “Support us. We are extremely poor,” the boy says, gazing into the lens.

They appear to be in a mud brick hut in Afghanistan, experiencing severe poverty. Despite this, their live broadcasts have reached audiences in the UK and worldwide through Tiktok Live.

They spend hours soliciting virtual “gifts” that can later be exchanged for money. When they receive a gift, they politely applaud. In one live stream, a girl jumps up and exclaims, “Thank you, we love you!” After receiving a digital rose from a woman in the US, which costs approximately 1p on Tiktok, when converted to cash, it’s worth less than a third of a penny.

Tiktok claims to prohibit child begging and other forms of exploitation, deeming it exploitative, and states that there is a strict policy for users participating in live shows.

However, research by Observer has revealed widespread practices of begging on live streams, actively promoted by algorithms and benefiting Tiktok, which takes up to 70% of fees and charges.

Olivier de Schutter, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, has criticized this trend as “a shocking development,” accusing Tiktok and its intermediaries of profiting from people’s misery. He urges Tiktok to take immediate action, implement stringent policies against exploitative begging, and scrutinize the individuals profiting from the world’s most vulnerable.

“We have put a lot of effort into saving you,” said Jeffrey Demarco, a Digital Rights expert at Save the Children. “Documented practices reveal serious abuses that require immediate action to ensure the platform no longer allows or benefits from such content.”

An analysis conducted between January and April 2025 found evidence of live begging and related behaviors in countries like Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Egypt, and Kenya.

Many live streams show families begging in domestic settings, while some streams seem to involve organized begging activities.