TikTok is taking a stand against state-affiliated media accounts attempting to manipulate global audiences. The social media giant released a statement Thursday, outlining its new rules. They don’t bode well for state-affiliated media accounts.
According to the news rules, reach will be limited, preventing those accounts from appearing on users’ main feeds. TikTok began labeling state-affiliated media accounts two years ago. The new measures build upon that policy, and come in advance of the 2024 U.S. election.
The platform will also no longer allow state-affiliated media accounts to advertise outside of their home country. The decision comes after a study by the Brookings Institution revealed an increase in usage of TikTok by Russian state-affiliated accounts, with a particular focus on spreading messages in English and Spanish.
Other social media platforms have also struggled with foreign propaganda. However, Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram, as well as Elon Musk’s X have faced less scrutiny. TikTok, owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, has raised concerns over national security due to its Chinese ownership. The company has continually denied these claims and is currently suing the federal government over a law that would require it to sever ties with its parent company in order to continue operating in the U.S..
In addition to these measures, TikTok announced it will regularly update its efforts to combat covert influence operations on the platform. The company has disrupted fifteen operations during the first four months of the year. Among them, one that targeted audiences in Indonesia during their presidential elections.
