China-owned video-sharing app TikTok is allegedly using its algorithms to suppress content that exposes China’s human rights violations, according to a study conducted by researchers from Rutgers University and the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI). The study found that TikTok’s algorithms actively suppress content critical of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) while simultaneously promoting pro-China propaganda and irrelevant content.
The researchers discovered that TikTok systematically shuts down sensitive discussions about issues like ethnic genocide and human rights abuses by utilizing travel influencers, frontier lifestyle accounts, and other CCP-linked content creators. This manipulation of the platform aims to shape the views of its targeted users.
TikTok has faced scrutiny in recent years due to concerns about national security. As a China-based company owned by ByteDance, there are fears that it could be compelled by the CCP to hand over data on U.S. users. The U.S. National Security Agency has referred to TikTok as a “Trojan horse” that poses a long-term security threat due to the CCP’s anti-U.S. views. Some lawmakers have even compared the app to “digital fentanyl” because of its addictive nature.
In response to these allegations, President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan measure into law in April requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok or face being banned from U.S. mobile app stores and web-hosting services. However, ByteDance and TikTok have filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of this law.
The study also revealed that TikTok has successfully indoctrinated its users, particularly heavy users who spend more time on the app. These users appear to absorb biased narratives unknowingly, leading them towards a distorted understanding of critical global issues related to China.
A spokesperson for TikTok dismissed the findings as flawed and engineered towards reaching predetermined conclusions. They cited previous research conducted by NCRI which had been debunked by outside analysts.
To conduct their study, researchers created 24 accounts across TikTok, Instagram, and youtube mimicking 16-year-old American users’ profiles. They tested each platform’s algorithms using four different search keywords associated with CCP human rights abuses: “Uyghur,” “Xinjiang,” ”Tibet,” and “Tiananmen.” Over 3,400 videos were collected based on these search results and classified as pro-China, anti-China neutral or irrelevant.
The report highlighted significant differences in how each platform handled this content related to Xinjiang, Tiananmen Square protests in 1989,and Tibet-related issues.The report concluded that there appears to be bias favoring pro-China content on Tiktok compared with youtube or Instagram when it comes specifically viewing per like engagement levels
Additionally,the researchers surveyed 1 ,214 American tiktokers seeking their perception based on time spent on tiktok.The survey showed heavy tiktok user had an increase positivity toward ccp’s human right records relative nonusers .This suggests psychological manipulation through tiktok’s contents aligns with ccp’s strategic objective shaping favorable perceptions among young audiences
Based on their findings,the researchers recommended creating Civic Trust funded social media platforms public help identify platforms manipulating user perceptions.They emphasized accountability corrective measures ensure platforms not exploited state actors erode democratic institutions values