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Translating TikTok Abbreviations: What Does BBC Mean?

2 min read
Peter Hasselworth

The phrase “fake news” is bandied about a lot these days, thanks to the political polarization that has swept not only America but much of the world.

Despite many peoples’ belief that news is slanted to one side or the other, though, a heritage news organization has still retained much of its luster: the British Broadcasting Corporation, or BBC.

The BBC is a large public television and radio broadcaster that operates many TV channels and dozens of radio stations in the UK. Both BBC radio and TV have dominated the nation’s audience ratings for decades. It also has other outlets like the BBC World Service that broadcasts in 40 languages around the globe.

Above all, the BBC is known for its outstanding news gathering and reporting service, which is available online as well. On TikTok, @bbcnews has 7.5 million followers, @bbcsport has almost three million, and @bbc shows clips from the network’s entertainment shows to more than six million TikTok users.

Nevertheless, when you see the term “BBC” in a TikTok post, there’s a good chance it’s not referring to the venerable British broadcaster.

What BBC Often Means on TikTok

WARNING: EXPLICIT CONTENT AHEAD

In 2024, a song began trending on TikTok and it’s definitely NSFW (not safe for work).

My Type was recorded by a rapper known as Saweetie, and it contains lots of lyrics that many readers would consider objectionable. The version of the song that began circulating on the social media platform has several even more explicit lines.

(We won’t use the complete words, but you’ll get the idea. If you’re easily offended, please hit your back button now.)

“I like a BBC in some BBC/That’s the kind of s—t that makes a b—ch DTD.”

“DTD” stands for “do the deed,” but that’s not the phrase that’s attracted so much attention. “BBC” is an Internet slang term that’s been used in sexually-oriented circles for a long time, but the Saweetie song gave it new life on TikTok.

In this context, “BBC” stands for “big Black c—k; at least the first use of the term does. The meaning of the second use is anyone’s guess, but you’re probably guessing the same thing that we are — and we’re probably both right.

That’s the story behind BBC on TikTok. Are you sorry you asked?

Peter Hasselworth's avatar

About the Author

Peter Hasselworth is a contributor at iDigic, sharing valuable insights about Instagram growth and social media marketing strategies.

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