In a bid to curb the influx of small boat arrivals, the UK government is enlisting the help of TikTok influencers, offering them £5,000 to dissuade their followers from

attempting to cross the Channel into Britain.

Foreign influencers from countries including Albania, Iraq, Egypt, and Iran may be approached by the Home Office to participate in what is being described as a modern-day "public information film".

The initiative aims to reach out to harder-to-reach groups who are particularly vulnerable to the tactics of human traffickers. A budget of £100,000 has been allocated for this project, forming part of a larger £1 million advertising campaign.

According to reports, influencers will be compensated for informing their audiences about the risks involved in attempting to migrate illegally to the UK, including the possibility of deportation to Rwanda or the inability to find employment.

The Home Office has contracted Multicultural Marketing Consultancy, a private company, to identify suitable TikTok personalities for this endeavor. One such individual is an Albanian rapper known as 'Omg Dioh', chosen for his ability to influence and educate younger audiences about the importance of hard work and pursuing their passions.

Comedian Roxhi Dibran, with a following of 150,000, has also been approached to participate in the campaign.

A Home Office spokesman emphasized the importance of combating misinformation spread by human smugglers on social media platforms and stressed the necessity of utilizing these same platforms to inform potential migrants about the realities of illegal migration to the UK.

This initiative comes amidst increasing pressure on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to initiate deportation flights to Rwanda, with a £1,000 bet placed with Piers Morgan to ensure flights begin before the next election.

The urgency of addressing this issue is underscored by recent tragedies, such as the capsizing of a boat carrying migrants in French waters, resulting in the deaths of at least five individuals of Syrian or Iraqi nationality.

Refugee rights groups highlight the limited options available to those fleeing famine, poverty, and conflict, emphasizing the need for more accessible legal pathways for migration. Data from the International Organization for Migration's Missing Migrants Project reveals that over 200 individuals have lost their lives at sea while attempting to reach the UK since 2014. Photo by Solen Feyissa, Wikimedia commons.