TikTok is pushing back against critics who say that the company is not fulfilling its content moderation obligations during the war between Israel and Hamas. In a statement, the company offered new details on the number of accounts and videos it has removed since Hamas attacked on October 7.
According to TikTok, more than 925,000 videos have been removed „in the area of conflict” and millions more from around the world. The company also said it has seen in recent weeks „spike in fake engagement (to the TikTok community)”. „Since October 7th, we have removed more than 24 million fake accounts and more than half a million bot comments on content with conflict-related hashtags worldwide.”
The new details come as TikTok faces increasing scrutiny over its how the app recommends content related to the ongoing conflict. According to NBC News some lawmakers have recently stepped up their calls to ban the app, citing allegations that TikTok’s algorithm disproportionately favors pro-Palestinian content. TikTok said these claims are based on „baseless analysis” of its data.
But TikTok is not the only platform facing increasing scrutiny and criticism over its moderation of content as tensions surrounding the war spill over into social media. Meta faced accusations that „shadow banned” Instagram accounts that posted information about conditions in Gazawhich she attributed „error”. Company X, formerly known as Twitter, is facing an investigation by the European Unionwhich relates to its handling of conflict-related disinformation.
Source: engadget.com
