“US Election: TikTok Moves to Prevent Russian Interference

TikTok has taken a significant step to curb misinformation ahead of the US presidential election by permanently banning Russian state media accounts. These accounts, linked to Rossiya Segodnya, RIA Novosti, Sputnik news services, and TV-Novosti, were accused of “covert influence peddling” . This move follows Meta’s ban on the same accounts for “foreign interference activity” .

The banned accounts were previously limited in the UK and EU but are now completely removed from TikTok’s platform. This decision is part of a broader effort by social media companies to combat misinformation and foreign interference in the upcoming election.

Background on Russian Interference

It’s worth noting that Russia has a history of meddling in US elections. In 2016, a Senate committee found that Russia orchestrated a sophisticated campaign to influence the election in favor of Donald Trump . More recently, the US Department of Justice shut down nearly 1,000 social media bot accounts spreading Russian disinformation in July .

TikTok’s Measures

TikTok’s ban on Russian state media accounts is a significant measure to prevent misinformation. The platform has also been monitoring and labeling state-affiliated media accounts to increase transparency .

Irony: TikTok’s Own Challenges

Interestingly, TikTok itself is facing scrutiny in the US due to concerns over data sharing with the Chinese government. A new law could potentially ban TikTok in the US .

Overall, TikTok’s move to ban Russian state media accounts demonstrates its commitment to combating misinformation and protecting the integrity of the US presidential election.