Around the World: Beastmania in the UK, big names on TikTok, and the most internet-obsessed country

Welcome to Around the World, our summary of top digital media headlines from countries other than the United States. We’re always looking for stories that don’t get enough Stateside attention, so hit us up at tips@tubefilter.com if you have one.

---

TikTok Shop’s U.S. arrival is good news for China’s ecommerce pros

In theory, the continued growth of TikTok Shop in the U.S. is good news for American vendors. But East Asian TikTok users have a lot more experience with the app’s ecommerce features, and China’s most opportunistic sellers are looking to capitalize on the rise of social shopping in the West.

A recent report in Missouri’s Jefferson City News Tribune highlights Chinese TikTok vendors like Oreo Deng. The former English tutor is using her linguistic skills and her TikTok savvy to sell jewelry to American customers. Another ex-tutor, Yan Guanghua, runs boot camps for live-streaming vendors. If U.S.-based companies want to keep up, they should study the social tactics utilized by these Chinese super-sellers.

---

MrBeast’s Feastables arrives in the U.K.

It’s Beatlemania, but in reverse.

MrBeast (real name Jimmy Donaldson) first unveiled his dessert brand Feastables in his home country. Now, the North Carolina native has brought his candy bars abroad. Consumers in the U.K. have already shown that they are passionate about consumer-led businesses, and Donaldson is eager to cash in on that market.

Shortly after Feastables’ British invasion began, U.K. creator JackSucksAtStuff posted a review that has since been watched more than one million times. Jack’s pretty happy with the taste of his Feastables purchase, and he loves the packaging of Deez Nutz, too.

---

Pakistan’s former prime minister is now a TikTok star

Sports legend, national leader, and now TikToker: Imran Khan (pictured above) has added another chapter to his remarkable career. The man who captained Pakistan’s national cricket team and spent four years as its prime minister joined TikTok this week

. In his first 36 hours on the popular video app, Khan pulled in more than three million followers.

In one of his first uploads, Khan thanked his supporters for sticking with him. Some of his followers may be more interested in his political opinions. His term as Pakistan’s PM ended with his arrest earlier this year, and he made bail for murder charges a month later. Will he open up on TikTok?

---

The Indonesian government isn’t happy about TikTok’s retail plans

Have you heard the news? TikTok is expanding beyond its current ecommerce initiatives by selling and shipping its own merch. That retail effort, dubbed Project S, is good news for some — but in at least one country, the move is being met with scrutiny.

Media members and politicians in Indonesia have expressed concerns about Project S, arguing that TikTok’s decision to move retail in-house will hurt local vendors. Social shopping is a massive phenomenon in Southeast Asia, where TikTok has picked up more than one trillion views. So don’t be surprised if Project S continues to have limited territorial access for now.

---

And the world’s most internet-obsessed country is…

…South Africa!

In Africa’s sixth-most populous country, the average consumer spends 9.5 hours per day online, according to research by U.S.-based firm Atlas VPN. That was more than three times the global average. One potential explanation for South Africa’s collective web addiction is the increasing accessibility of the internet among the country’s 60 million residents.

Other countries that ranked highly on the Atlas VPN list included Brazil and The Philippines.