On Thursday, a video of Saudi TikTok influencer Qaied Al-Majd went viral after he won a massive prize of SR4 million ($1.1 million) within minutes by completing one of the social media platform's biggest challenges. According to Al-Arabiya, the challenge was a TikTok LIVE battle between Al-Majd and Pakistani influencer Youssef, which generated views from over 950,000 followers who paid to watch the streamers compete. The battle lasted five minutes, according to users, who predicted that the platform would take home the majority of the reward money, or about SR2.6 million, leaving Al-Majd with just SR700,000 and Youssef, who was up against Al-Majd, will probably get SR 500,000.
ترقص فرح بكرة وكل يوم باذن الله
— 960K (@960K__) April 24, 2023
يارب هالوجة مايليق فيه الا الفرح .#قعيد #قعيد_المجد pic.twitter.com/e4lZsyQdXH
TikTok LIVE battles are in-person contests in which streamers compete against one another and the winner is chosen by followers who send virtual coins to the winner throughout the contest so they may swap them for cash. Social media users' reactions to the two TikTokers' huge winnings were mixed, with some applauding the incident and others criticizing it. One user expressed pride in Al-Majd's achievement, while another wished him joy and happiness. However, some users expressed concern that such events could lead to the exploitation of young influencers by their followers.
ولدنا يفوز بطرق الخشوم يستاهل كل خير #قعيد_المجد pic.twitter.com/cSmIsLkyrV
— نوره التميمي" (@noura90_a) April 25, 2023
Dr. Waleed Al-Zamel opined that instead of being at odds with the youth, society should work to comprehend their language and harness their energies for the good of the nation. It is unclear whether the information shared on social media is accurate, and TikTok has not provided any clarification on the matter.
ضخ مشاهدي #تيك_توك في السعودية قبل قليل نحو 4 مليون ريال سعودي في جولة دعم مدتها 5 دقائق..والرابحون 3 فقط هم :
— محمد البيشي (@albishi) April 25, 2023
تطبيق توك توك : 2.6 مليون
قعيد: 700 ألف
يوسف: 500 ألف ريال
السؤال: ثم ماذا ؟!.. ماهي فائدة المتابعين عجيب هذا التوك توك ! pic.twitter.com/GR3hg9xm5z
Overall, the news of Al-Majd's massive win highlights the increasing popularity and influence of TikTok in the Middle East, as well as the potential for young influencers to earn significant sums of money through the platform. However, it also raises questions about the ethics of paying to watch social media influencers compete and the potential for such events to be exploited by their followers.
