TikTok, the Chinese video sharing app allows users to upload and edit short videos of themselves. It has taken off in popularity in Ireland in recent months. It is being investigating after footage emerged on its platform, apparently of machinery being misused on Irish farms for dangerous stunts.

Farming organisations criticized the behaviors seen on the platform as an accident waiting to happen. A spokesman for the platform said it does not allow content that encourages or replicates dangerous challenges that might lead to injury. Our safety team is investigating, and we will take appropriate action in line with our community guidelines.

Tim Cullinan, president of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), said some of the incidents were grossly irresponsible and an accident waiting to happen.

Some of the videos he highlighted featured tractors, quad bikes and heavy machinery. One video shows what appears to be a race between three tractors on a public road, while another shows a man sitting on the front of a tractor as it drives through a field at speed.

Another shows men sitting in the bucket of a digger as it rotated quickly, and another features a quad being driven up a steep embankment and almost overturning in the process.

I am disgusted that people could be so casual and have no regard for the dangers involved in what they are doing.

Mr. Cullinan

With eight farm fatalities recorded so far this year, the IFA president urged those making the videos to take a hard look at themselves.

Too often, people are not willing to act responsibly and identify the risks. All farmers and contractors need to make it clear to their employees that engaging in these practices is a sack-able offence.

Mr Cullinan

Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said the videos showed alarmingly immature behavior. In a Twitter post he said those who feature in the clips are “boys tasked with adult work clearly incapable of responsibility”.

Source: The Irish Time