TikTok is responding to critics who argue that, in light of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the video app is not doing enough to moderate material. The business released fresh information in a statement regarding the quantity of accounts and videos it had removed following the Hamas strikes on October 7.
TikTok reports that it has deleted millions of more “pieces of content” from throughout the globe in addition to around 925,000 videos that were “in the conflict region.” Additionally, the business reported that in recent weeks, there have been “spikes in fake engagement.” “Since October 7, we have eliminated over 24 million fraudulent accounts worldwide and over 500,000 automated comments on content containing conflict-related hashtags.”
The new information is released at a time when TikTok is under growing criticism for the way that its software suggests content that is connected to the ongoing violence. There have been claims by certain lawmakers that TikTok’s algorithm is favoring pro-Palestinian content more than other content, leading them to advocate for the app’s banning (NBC News). TikTok stated in an update that these assertions were the result of “unsound analysis” of their data.
The business stated, “Unfortunately, some misinformed commentators have mischaracterized our work to stop hate speech and misinformation about the Israeli-Gaza conflict, particularly as it relates to antisemitism.” “In recent days, there has been a lack of reliable analysis of TikTok hashtag data related to the conflict, leading some commentators to incorrectly suggest that TikTok is favoring pro-Palestine content over pro-Israel content for users in the United States.” The business also stated that since October 7, the hashtags #standwithisrael and #standwithpalestine had received 46 million and 29 million views, respectively, in the United States.
Tensions surrounding the war are starting to bleed over onto social media platforms, and TikTok isn’t the only platform under increased scrutiny for its moderation practices. Allegations have been made against Meta, saying that it “shadowbanned” Instagram accounts that discussed the situation in Gaza and blamed it on a “bug.” The European Union is looking into how X, formerly known as Twitter, handled false information about the violence.
