Beware! TikTok budol is real. 

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MANILA, Philippines – Have you ever impulsively checked out an item from the TikTok shop at 3 am after watching a video that convinced you how much you needed it? This scenario is all too common among TikTok users, boosting the platform as a powerhouse in the social media landscape. But here’s the real question: Was the product you bought truly as good as advertised? Or did you fall victim to the infamous “TikTok budols”?

The new e-commerce player

TikTok has become one of the most efficient media which changed the way contents are made and enjoyed. TikTok Shop was introduced to the public in July 2022, creating new opportunities for merchants by offering a large platform to promote their products without commission fees or restrictions. All content though must adhere to the platform’s guidelines.

According to data from Statista, the Philippines had an advertising audience of 49.9 million on TikTok as of January 2024, highlighting TikTok’s significant impact on businesses and content creators. In addition to TikTok Shop, the platform offers the TikTok Affiliate Program. 

Think of an affiliate as a salesperson recommending products, except this time in an online setting. Through TikTok’s Seller Center, creators can earn profit by producing videos that promote products, with commission tracked via a unique affiliate link. These links are often found in the creator’s bio and profile, commonly referred to as their “showcase,” and may direct users to external shopping platforms like Shopee. For products sold directly through TikTok Shop, creators use the “yellow basket” icon, which appears in videos and directs viewers to the advertised product. Commissions typically range from 10% – 15% of the product’s value, based on sales made through the link.

In the broader landscape of marketing, TikTok affiliates rely heavily on trust and credibility. Affiliates risk significant losses if their strategies fail to convert viewers to buyers, particularly as they often purchase initial products themselves to establish their affiliate presence. A minimum of 1,000 followers is required to join the TikTok Shop Affiliate Program. The main challenges for new affiliates is building a recognizable personal brand.

TikTok affiliates have built their platforms by keeping their content short and attention-grabbing, with hooks right at the start of their videos. This approach has contributed to people’s shorter attention spans. Unlike traditional advertising that needs big budgets, TikTok has also embraced a more casual and relatable style.

Low budget, casual, and authentic — these elements are easy to pull off, making TikTok a game-changer for many local and small businesses. It has paved the way for countless personalities including actors turned creators like Bugoy Cariño, a former child star from the now defunct local TV show Going Bulilit, who now promotes tech products on his TikTok account, has 3.5 million followers and 36.9 million likes. Another former celebrity turned full-time influencer, Bea Borres, gained popularity with her appearances in the tele-serye “Kadenang Ginto” alongside Andrea Brillantes. Her TikTok account, where she shares lifestyle content, has 3.3 million followers and 148 million likes. In one TikTok video, Borres explained her decision to leave the entertainment industry for full-time content creation, citing increased financial stability and flexibility.

However, success on TikTok often involves pre-existing fame or notable exposure through mainstream media. Some affiliates exploit the platform’s fast-paced nature through “TikTok budol” schemes, where consumers, often pressed for time, do not verify product claims or reviews on TikTok Shop. One significant issue came up when a creator used TikTok to promote and sell non-FDA approved medicines, spreading “false cures” and “false hopes” to the public.

Designed for Addiction

In an endless scrolling habit, netizens unknowingly spend hours jumping from one platform to another, encountering diverse content that piques their interest. Researchers widely agree that social media is undeniably addictive. Its fast-paced, ever-evolving nature brings different worlds literally to people’s hands — offering entertainment, business opportunities, and knowledge. However, these platforms can significantly harm productivity, education, and personal success when they turn to addiction. A study by the Brown University School of Public Health in 2021 explored the elements that play a factor in this phenomena. 

TikTok, with a continuous growth of 955.3 million users globally as of 2025, worsens this dilemma. Research observed how the platform was specifically designed to feed into this addictive cycle. Similar to Instagram, TikTok allows users to “like” content with a simple double tap. This minor gesture fulfills the human need for validation, stimulating the brain’s nucleus accumbens, a region associated with reward processing and satisfaction. This encourages users to both consume and create more content, to give and receive validation, particularly since TikTok’s algorithm thrives on these interactions.

“Likes” play a crucial role in the algorithm of a user’s personalized “For You” Page. This endless feed,  filled with short, fast-paced videos, keeps users hooked. The addictive nature of this mechanism mirrors the design of a slot machine. The swipe-down motion and the unpredictability of content trigger the same psychological responses that make gambling addicting and now officially recognized as a disorder in the DSM-5, confirming the psychological impact of the platform.

This led to the platform having to face numerous lawsuits alleging its contribution to addiction, especially among children, while exposing them to harmful content like illegal drugs, eating disorder promotion, and even sexual exploitation. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has denied such claims, but US lawmakers criticized his responses. “You gave me only generalized statements that you’re investing, that you’re concerned, that you’re doing work. That’s not enough for me. That’s not enough for the parents of America,” said Representative Dianne DeGette. Additionally, concerns over data privacy and potential ties to the Chinese government have pushed calls to ban TikTok in several regions of the U.S.

Despite these controversies, TikTok continues to grow. Its  audience used the platform for business, entertainment, information, and also multiple opportunities.

Changing the playing field

Julian Cirineo, an editor for BrandRap at Rappler, highlighted how TikTok has democratized advertising, making people more forgiving of the quality of such content. “It’s easy to make an affiliate account with these e-commerce platforms. It has made it easier for everyone to become ‘advertisers.’ It’s easy to connect with products… it leveled the playing field,” he said.

As a creator for Rappler, Cirineo observed how TikTok values entertainment for its algorithm, social media’s purpose is for entertainment anyway. “So if your content is entertaining and connects with the audience, you’re rewarded for that,” he said. The more entertaining the content, the more views it garners, leading to higher conversion rates. This means that regardless of whether a product is good or bad, it will sell as long as it’s marketed in a way that aligns with the platform’s algorithm.

Cirineo added “When you’re making reviews, specially if you’re fairly new to the game, want to do more deals, and preserve a relationship with a certain brand, of course you will be more inclined to say good things lang about a certain product., some things may not be said as clearly.”

Zhyne Bernal, admits she too fell for a ‘TikTok Budol,’ but she assures her audience as an affiliate she tries products herself before advertising them. Tiktok screengrab

The TikTok budol

Zhyne Bernal, a TikTok affiliate from Pampanga, has also experienced the infamous “TikTok budol.” “Madalas din kasi akong ma ‘scam’ or mabudol sa mga products na ni-review ng other affiliates na hindi naman pala totoo yung claims…For example, sa mga skincare products. The specific product I tried meron siyang harmful chemicals for sensitive skin, but since sa mga reviews wala namang nabanggit na ganon and hindi naman pinakita yung ingredients, I still bought it kasi I wasn’t aware.”  she said. 

(I am easily fooled by false claims of affiliates. For example, in skincare products. The specific product I tried contained chemicals harmful to sensitive skin. But since there was no warning of this in the reviews, and they did not show the ingredients, I bought the product. I purchased it because I was not aware of the ingredients.)

Another affiliate, Angelo Dizon, also sees his co-affiliates hyping up products to get sales. He said: “Meron mga item na parang for the sake na mabenta mo siya, you need to exaggerate on how you promote yung product kahit hindi naman super totoo. For example, pinadala sa akin itong fan na ‘to. On other videos exaggerated siya na lumalamig ‘yung hangin…na kasing lamig siya ng aircon pero hindi naman. Compare mo siya sa other fan, mas malamig pero hindi siya same ng aircon.”

(There are times affiliates exaggerate or lie about the qualities of a product they are selling. For example, I received this electric fan. On videos, they exaggerated that the fan had a cool breeze, and it was as cold as an air conditioner. Though it was indeed cooler than other fans, it still was not as cold as an aircon.”

Whether or not it affects consumer trust in the platform and its creators, there is a risk, especially with the ongoing decline in media authenticity and trust. Cirineo said that a problem arises when creators focus on bite-sized content, where context and important information are often lost or overlooked.

As affiliates, the Zhyne and Angelo shared a common struggle: finding ways to grow their audience — gaining potential customers to drive up their commissions — especially as the industry gained traction as a mainstream. “One of the struggles sa TikTok affiliates, sometimes kasi hindi pantay-pantay ang sales mo every day (sometimes you do not have the same amount of sales every day), ” Dizon said of the reality of being a new affiliate. Bernal also said that the growing number of creators has made content planning and partnerships more challenging. “Nowadays, sobrang dami na ng affiliates, kaya nagiging challenging mag-reach out for collaborations sa ibang brands since maraming kasabay (there are too many affiliates these days, so it’s a challenge to reach out for collaborations with other brands because there are so many doing the same thing) ,” Bernal said.

As someone who has experienced the platform firsthand, Bernal sees a possible reason for this. “Instead na i-share yung honest pros and cons ng product, pinipili nila na maganda lang yung sinasabi para lang ma-impress ‘yung brands or para tumaas ang sales (instead of talking about the pros and cons of a product, you just talk about the positive so you could impress the brands, or to pump up your sales),” she added. 

Disclosure of partnership

Despite the concerning attitude some creators adopt, it ultimately comes down to the agreement they have with the companies they partner with. To preserve both the authenticity of the platform and the credibility of creators, disclosing partnerships is crucial.

Similar to how Rappler tags its BrandRap posts, TikTok also labels content that is part of a paid partnership or sponsorship. Therefore, creators must disclose whether their content is paid or not. This allows the audience to be aware of any potential bias. However, it is also the consumer’s responsibility to verify the authenticity of the content.

Creators like Bernal and David take their responsibilities as affiliates seriously by verifying the products they feature, often by being firsthand customers themselves.  “Before ko i-promote ung isang product, I make sure ko na ginamit ko and okay siya i-promote. Ayoko na exaggerate yung video ko na hindi ko naman siya personally ginagamit pero prino-promote ko siya (Before I promote a product, I make sure that I use it first and that it’s worth promoting. I do not want to exaggerate on my videos without first tyring out the products),” David said. 

“Trust, per se, is hard to quantify,” Cirineo said. While there may be no one to blame for that impulse check-out moment in the middle of the night as you scroll through TikTok, in this fast-paced era, taking a minute to think before making a purchase is not such a bad idea. – Rappler.com

Aya Ranas is a 2nd year Communication student and a scholar at National University Clark, Pampanga. An editor-in-chief and founder of the Nationalian Clarion, she is also an Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow of Rappler for 2024.