Disinformation networks have multiplied in recent years and TikTok is no exception. As part of its report on the fight against disinformation imposed by the European Commission, the Chinese social network indicated that it had dismantled a Russian disinformation network that targeted European Internet users.
In total, some 1,700 accounts spreading anti-Ukrainian messages posing as users from other countries have been identified. German, Italian and British Internet users received particular attention. According to TikTok, more than 133,000 people saw these pro-Russian posts in their News Feed between July and September 2022. The social network could not determine if the Russian government was behind these accounts.
Various methods used to cheat
These thousands of disinformation accounts have used various digital tools to spread their messages and make them credible. By using VPNs and other private networks, Internet users could give the impression of being local by sharing photos, videos, and other pro-Russian memes. Some of them even buy IP addresses to reinforce this impression of local citizenship.
Artificial intelligence has also been a great help for those accounts that have been able to use text-to-speech tools. The accounts used software to create false pro-Russian claims in the languages of the target countries. “We do not allow activities that could undermine the integrity of our platform or the authenticity of our users,” a TikTok spokesperson said.
After identification, TikTok’s moderation teams removed misinformation accounts and their content. To counter the arrival of other propaganda accounts, the social network added a label for accounts belonging to state-controlled media. Live broadcasts from Russia and Ukraine are also blocked in the countries of the European Union.
Source: BFM TV
