TikTok also plays a large number of videos that have already been clearly identified as Kremlin propaganda with untrue information or manipulated video recordings. These videos are available without commentary alongside relevant content.

Users are flooded with fake news videos

This is what NewsGuard fact checkers found in a study ( HERE ). Fresh accounts were set up and the researchers scrolled through the “For-You” feed, the highly personalized section of TikTok. They watched all the videos played by the algorithm in full length. Within 40 minutes, the feed was full of videos containing false and misleading information about the Ukraine war. Regardless of whether Ukraine was specifically searched for or not. If you searched for terms related to the conflict, the first 20 search results contained several videos that fell under fake news, i.e. contained disinformation ( HERE ).

For example, the claim was made that the United States had bioweapons laboratories in Ukraine. Or it was said that President Putin was digitally edited into the video of a press conference at the beginning of March and did not hold it himself. Excerpts from video games were presented as real battle scenes, while real footage of the war allegedly had Russian users complaining that what was shown did not correspond to reality.

No comment. No marking. No moderation.

"At a time when misinformation about the Russian-Ukrainian conflict abounds, none of the videos we found had any attribution, any indication of the accuracy of the data presented, or any other information," NewsGuard said, explaining its findings. ( HERE ).

The results of the NewsGuard study show that TikTok does not have an effective strategy for labeling and moderating false and misleading content.

Fake news primarily reaches young users

Two factors exacerbate the problem. On the one hand, one of TikTok's core competencies is to keep its users on the platform for a long time, where they consume one video after the other. On the other hand, TikTok is the playground for very young users. Although the platform is officially only for children aged 13 and over, Statista shows that a quarter of all users in the USA are between 10 and 19 years old. Bloomberg reports that almost a quarter of German TikTok users are under 18, as are a third of Italian and French users ( HERE ).

This is aimed at young people whose media literacy is most likely not yet fully developed in terms of alertness to critical content and the ability to place events in the correct historical context. A critical reflection of what has been seen is unlikely to take place to a sufficient extent, disinformation

In summary, TikTok has become an absolute multiplier for the spread of disinformation.

Reaction from TikTok

The Chinese company's initial reaction aims to question NewsGuard's study design. The statements are the result of a snapshot and do not reflect long-term usage behavior on TikTok.

Reference is also made to a statement published at the beginning of March, which, among other things, addresses the issue of security on TikTok. Statement title: “More context on content on TikTok” (( HERE )

“We are responding to the war in Ukraine with more care and resources, while working to remove harmful information from our platform […]. We also work with independent fact checkers” ( HERE )

Obviously, TikTok's efforts have not progressed very far, otherwise the NewsGuard test would probably have turned out differently. Some of the false claims and representations in the videos that the TikTok algorithm fed to the analyst team had previously been identified by NewsGuards or other international fact-checkers as Kremlin propaganda or unambiguous misinformation ( HERE ).

The role of China

TikTok is a Chinese network and it is unclear to what extent government influence is exerted on TikTok's content. China has remained indifferent to the Ukraine crisis and has not yet clearly taken sides. However, NewsGuard was able to prove that Chinese news networks have clearly spread fake news and Kremlin propaganda. The narrative spread by the Kremlin about US-funded bioweapons laboratories in Ukraine was adopted by the news channels ( HERE ).

Conclusion

The Chinese video portal TikTok contributes significantly to the spread of false and misleading information. The algorithm places misleading and incorrect videos, uncommented and unmoderated, alongside accurate videos in the personalized For You feed. Dubious sources are not identified.

Despite the age limit of 13, younger children also have uncontrolled access to the platform. In general, the false and misleading information on the portal reaches a very young target group. TikTok has announced an initiative to check and label content more closely, but this does not seem to be taking effect yet. It is unclear to what extent China influences TikTok content.

In keeping with the topic: Young Ukrainian women show the current situation on TikTok


If you enjoyed this post and value the importance of well-founded information, become part of the exclusive Mimikama Club! Support our work and help us promote awareness and combat misinformation. As a club member you receive:

📬 Special Weekly Newsletter: Get exclusive content straight to your inbox.
🎥 Exclusive video* “Fact Checker Basic Course”: Learn from Andre Wolf how to recognize and combat misinformation.
📅 Early access to in-depth articles and fact checks: always be one step ahead.
📄 Bonus articles, just for you: Discover content you won't find anywhere else.
📝 Participation in webinars and workshops : Join us live or watch the recordings.
✔️ Quality exchange: Discuss safely in our comment function without trolls and bots.

Join us and become part of a community that stands for truth and clarity. Together we can make the world a little better!

* In this special course, Andre Wolf will teach you how to recognize and effectively combat misinformation. After completing the video, you have the opportunity to join our research team and actively participate in the education - an opportunity that is exclusively reserved for our club members!


Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )