Agency: The Bhutan InfoComm and Media Authority (BICMA) has issued a public notification warning against the growing trend of “extreme punishment shows” on TikTok, cautioning that such content not only endangers participants, but also risks normalizing self-harm and humiliation in Bhutanese society.
The notification, released on 21st August 2025 comes after the regulator observed a surge in live-streamed content where individuals engage in harmful, degrading, or painful acts to attract views, likes, and virtual gifts.
BICMA stressed that such shows often presented as entertainment are a violation of the Rules and Regulations on Content 2019, particularly Section 2.2(c), which prohibits any media that is offensive to public feeling, indecent, abusive, threatening, or encouraging of crime and disharmony.
BICMA said that these shows may appear lighthearted, but they push individuals into dangerous situations for validation, and in many cases, for monetary incentives.
BICMA advised that accounts found engaging in or promoting such content will face regulatory enforcement.
The authority’s concern extends to the potential psychological toll and the risk of imitation among young viewers, many of whom are among Bhutan’s most active TikTok users. The notification appeals to creators, live streamers, and audiences to refrain from supporting such harmful practices and to use social media responsibly.
