Andrew Alty, a small business owner from Manchester, faced near bankruptcy after his teenage daughter incurred a mobile phone bill of approximately 50,000 Euros (42,000 Pounds) during a trip to Morocco. The exorbitant cost stemmed from eight hours of continuous TikTok usage, which aggressively downloads videos in the background, consuming vast amounts of data. Alty's business contract with O2, through retailer Currys, lacked a cost cap, and he was reportedly not informed of this vulnerability. Despite attempts to contact his provider from Morocco, resolution was only achieved after significant media attention in February 2026, leading O2 and Currys to waive the charges. The case highlights the aggressive data consumption of apps like TikTok outside of EU roaming protections and the complexities of responsibility between network providers and retailers.