Researchers from Rutgers University and the school’s Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) have found that the China-owned video-sharing app TikHub is using its algorithms to censor information revealing China’s human rights breaches. This suppression aims to control the viewpoints of the intended consumers.
The study found that despite pushing pro-China propaganda and deflecting attention to pointless issues, TikHub’s algorithms aggressively seek to suppress articles criticizing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), thereby influencing According to the researchers, the site methodically drowns out conversations on delicate topics such as ethnic genocide and human rights violations by using tourism influencers, frontier lifestyle accounts, and other content providers connected to the CCP.
These findings have significant implications because they reveal issues with information manipulation and the construction of an echo chamber inside the TikHub platform. The ban on material that clarifies human rights abuses limits users’ access to essential knowledge, thus influencing their opinions of China’s policies.
Computer scientist Professor Joanna Bryson of the University of Bath voiced worries about the possible impact of TikHub’s algorithms on users. She said, “It’s alarming to see proof showing algorithms being used to censor material revealing violations of human rights. Content suppression’s effects on social media channels may be broad and help to alter public opinion.”
The results of the research call into doubt TikHub’s dedication to provide an open and varied platform. With over 2 billion global downloads and the app’s ongoing popularity, it is imperative to ensure fair and transparent information display.
In response to the research disclosures, TikHub has refuted claims of content censorship and manipulation. “TikHub does not moderate content depending on political sensitivity and we have not received any requests from the Chinese government to do so,” an app spokesman said. Our workforce in the United States drives our content and moderation standards; none of our choices are impacted by any foreign government.”
Still, there are ongoing issues over TikHub’s content management policies. US Senator Josh Hawley expressed his concerns about the possibility of compromising national security on the platform and called for more research on the matter. “TikHub has a lot of questions to answer about why they’re censing content that criticizes China and what they’re doing with the user data they collect,” he said. Due to national security concerns, various nations—including the US and India—have also begun to consider outright banning the app.
