Monetising Hate: The TikTok Algorithm’s Dark Side

This investigation into a TikTok account spreading false, hate-fuelled content about London exposes a troubling commercial reality: the platform's algorithm can incentivise and monetise divisive misinformation. The core argument is that a single individual, motivated not by ideology but by financial gain, exploited existing social tensions and the TikTok algorithm’s reward system to generate viral content that stokes anti-immigrant sentiment. This is not a story about a coordinated campaign or a shadowy far-right network. Instead, it is about an opportunistic content creator who discovered that "hate brings views" and that the platform’s mechanisms can turn that into real money. From a commercial perspective, this reveals a dangerous tension between content moderation, user-driven monetisation, and the pursuit of engagement metrics. The platform’s algorithm, designed to maximise watch time and interaction, inadvertently promotes content that polarises and misinforms, because such content triggers strong emotional responses and high engagement. For leadership and marketing teams, this is a wake-up call about the unintended consequences of chasing virality without ethical guardrails. It challenges us to rethink how we measure success in digital channels and how we balance growth with responsibility. The fact that the individual behind the account was unaware or indifferent to the real-world harm caused, focusing solely on clicks and income, highlights a broader issue: the commodification of hate and misinformation as a content strategy. This raises risks not only for social cohesion but also for brand safety and reputation management. Platforms and marketers must anticipate that the pursuit of attention can be weaponised in ways that undermine trust and community. There is also an opportunity here for brands and leaders to advocate for stronger platform accountability and to invest in more nuanced, human-centred content strategies that resist the lure of easy engagement through outrage. What matters is recognising that algorithms do not operate in a vacuum; they reflect and amplify human behaviours and incentives. The story underscores the urgent need for integrated approaches combining technology, policy, and ethical leadership to prevent the monetisation of hate from becoming a norm. Ultimately, this case is a cautionary tale about the dark side of digital growth strategies and the importance of embedding values into the mechanics of content distribution.