Why is #banTikTok trending on twitter? After 'TikTok vs Youtube', here comes another TikTok Controversy!

Are you wondering why #BanTikTokinIndia or #BanTikTok is trending on Twitter? The hashtag was widely used by Netizens as a response to controversy around Popular “Influencer” Faizal Siddiqui’s video. The video allegedly glorified acid attack and crime against women. 

Siddiqui in one of the videos that he recently released could be seen mouthing “Did the man you left me for abandon you?”, following which he takes a glass filled with liquid and splashes it on his “girlfriend.” Towards the end of the video, one could notice that the woman’s face changes and she has makeup which looks like scars caused after the alleged “acid attack.”

National Commission for Women and Acid Attack survivor Lakshmi Agarwal are some among the many internet users who voiced their concerns and criticized the video. 

"We are working day and night to stop the acid attacks, violence against women. This cringe activity is not called influencing but promoting crime. Such persons are a curse to our society. So, it is important to ban such videos and accounts from the social media. Come forward-we urge you to stop acid violence-Stop Sale Acid. (sic),” said acid attack survivor, Laxmi Agarwal (whose story was narrated in the movie chapaak).

Meanwhile, the NCW letter read:

"The Commission is seriously concerned about the increase in crimes against women. The video not only seems to promote violence against women but shows the patriarchal mindset which would send a very wrong message to the society."

Internet users also revisited other videos that allegedly normalizes and promotes violence against women, some of which included Siddiqui’s videos. 

#BanTikTokIndia has been a top trending hashtag since yesterday. A lot of Indians have also taken it upon themselves to give negative reviews and ratings to the app. There has been a drastic drop in the app rating. 

Meanwhile, siddiqui released a statement on his Instagram page where he said that the video that has gone viral is the edited part of a whole video. It claims that the video has been taken out of context and the girl featuring in it is Faby, a professional makeup artist.