TikTok has announced new rules aimed at limiting the influence of state-affiliated media accounts during a crucial election year. The social media platform, which began labeling such accounts two years ago, stated that accounts trying to reach audiences outside their home country on global events will no longer appear on users' main feeds.
In addition, state-affiliated media accounts will soon be prohibited from advertising outside their home country. This decision follows a recent study by the Brookings Institution, which highlighted an increase in Russian state-affiliated accounts using TikTok to post messages in English and Spanish.
While foreign propaganda is a concern on various social media platforms, TikTok, owned by ByteDance in Beijing, has faced particular scrutiny. Some lawmakers and officials argue that TikTok poses a significant national security threat and could be influenced by the Chinese government.
TikTok has consistently refuted these claims and is currently challenging a new law that would require it to sever ties with its parent company to continue operating in the U.S. The platform has pledged to provide regular updates on its efforts to combat covert influence operations, noting that it has already disrupted 15 such operations in the first four months of this year.
One operation targeted audiences in Indonesia ahead of the country's recent presidential elections. The move by TikTok reflects a broader trend among social media platforms to address the spread of misinformation and foreign interference, particularly in the context of important political events.
