THE war in Ukraine has rapidly positioned TikTok as the number one source of misinformation thanks to its gigantic number of users and minimal filtering of content, experts say.
Every day, Shayan Sardarizadeh, a journalist with the BBC's disinformation team, ploughs through a hallucinatory mix of fake and misleading information about the war being spewed out on the video-sharing site.
"TikTok is really not having a good war," he told AFP.
"I haven't seen another platform with so much false content," he added.
"We've seen it all: videos from past conflicts being recycled, genuine footage presented in a misleading way, things that are so obviously false but still get tens of millions of views."
He said the most disturbing were fake live-streams in which users pretended to be on the ground in Ukraine but were using footage from other conflicts or even video games -- and then asking for money to support their "reporting".
"Millions tune in and watch. They even add fake gunshots and explosions," said Sardarizadeh.
Anastasiya Zhyrmont of Access Now, an advocacy group, said it was no excuse to say that the war came as a surprise.
"This conflict has been escalating since 2014 and these problems of Kremlin propaganda and misinformation have been raised with TikTok long before the invasion," she told AFP.
"They've promised to double their efforts and partner with content checkers, but I'm not sure they are taking this obligation seriously," she added.
- 'No context' -
Zhyrmont said the problem may lie with the lack of Ukrainian language content moderators, making it trickier for TikTok to spot false information.
TikTok told AFP that it has Russian and Ukrainian speakers, but did not say how many, and said it had added resources specifically focused on the war but did not provide details.
AFP is a partner of TikTok, providing fact-checking services in Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Pakistan and the Philippines.
Some say the very nature of TikTok makes it problematic when subject matter becomes more serious than funny skits and dance routines.
"The way you consume information on TikTok -- scrolling from one video to another really quickly -- means there is no context on any given piece of content," said Chine Labbe of NewsGuard, which tracks online misinformation.
NewsGuard ran an experiment to see how long it would take for new users to start receiving false information if they lingered on videos about the war.
The answer was 40 minutes.
"NewsGuard's findings add to the body of evidence that TikTok's lack of effective content-labelling and moderation, coupled with its skill at pushing users to content that keeps them on the app, have made the platform fertile ground for the spread of disinformation," it concluded in its report.
TikTok recognises the problem.
In a blog post on March 4, it said it was using "a combination of technology and people to protect our platform" and partnering with independent fact-checkers to provide more context.
- 'Really troubling' -
In the meantime, the particular concern with TikTok is the age of its users: a third in the United States, for example, are 19 or younger.
"It's hard enough for adults to decipher the real from the propaganda in Ukraine. For a young user to be fed all this false information is really troubling," said Labbe.
All those interviewed emphasised that misinformation is rampant across all social media, but that TikTok had done even less than Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to combat it.
TikTok's relative infancy also means its own users have not yet joined the fight as they have on other platforms.
"There are communities on Twitter and Instagram who are involved in disinformation," said Sardarizadeh.
"Some are starting to do fact-checking and educate people on TikTok, but we're talking about a dozen or two dozen, compared with hundreds on Twitter."
ETX Studio
Thu Apr 07 2022

Some say the very nature of TikTok makes it problematic when subject matter becomes more serious than funny skits and dance routines. - REUTERS

Beware of scam tactics using AI
The drastic development of AI technology is being taken advantage of by scammers to reap huge profits by using various latest tactics.

Fired and rehired - the dizzying confusion of Trump's government overhaul
They have adopted a blunt force approach toward the wholesale firing of workers, often focusing on workers who are easier to fire.

Arab states scramble to counter Trump's Gaza 'Riviera' plan
Arab states trying to devise an alternative plan have yet to tackle critical issues like who will foot the bill for Gaza's reconstruction.

Chinese universities launch DeepSeek courses to capitalise on AI boom
Universities across China have launched artificial intelligence courses this month based on Chinese AI startup DeepSeek.

Astronomers reveal 3D structure of an alien planet's atmosphere
Astronomers find three layers on a scorching gas planet orbiting a star larger and hotter than the sun.

Public flips car involved in road accident to rescue child
According to JBPM, members of the public at the scene took initial action to rescue the victim before the fire brigade arrived.

Ramsay reveals hundreds of lucky cat statues stolen from new restaurant
Gordon Ramsay says about 477 Japanese cat models called maneki-neko were stolen from his Lucky Cat 22 Bishopsgate restaurant.

Zayn Rayyan case: Two child witnesses complete testimony today
So far, 20 prosecution witnesses, including the two children, have been called for this trial, according to the Deputy Public Prosecutor.

Macron says he will tell Trump not to be weak with Putin in Washington visit
Emmanuel Macron says showing any weakness to Russia's Vladimir Putin would make it harder to deal with China and Iran.

Israeli PM Netanyahu says Hamas will pay for not returning Shiri Bibas
Netanyahu accuse Hamas of acting "in an unspeakably cynical manner" by placing body of a Gaza woman in the coffin instead of Shiri Bibas.

Trump pulls US out of key global climate assessment, sources say
The US is a co-chair along with Malaysia of a working group on climate mitigation, or ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Japan to court Tesla on Nissan investment, FT reports
The group hopes Tesla will invest strategically, believing it's interested in acquiring Nissan's US plants, the report says.

185 children linked to GISB handed over to families - Exco
The children have been handed over to their families on bond with conditions by the court.

IRS fires 6,000 employees as Trump slashes US government
The move will eliminate roughly 6% of the agency's workforce in the midst of the busy tax-filing season.

Elon Musk wields chainsaw at conservative gathering, a gift from Argentina's Milei
This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy, says Elon Musk.
![[OPINION] For never again the world must know more about the Khojaly genocide [OPINION] For never again the world must know more about the Khojaly genocide](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2025-02/41740112820_KhazarUniversity.jpg)
[OPINION] For never again the world must know more about the Khojaly genocide
For Azerbaijanis, the Khojaly genocide is more than a historical event - it is a collective trauma that shapes their identity and worldview.

Israeli military says body released by Hamas is not of a hostage
Two bodies were identified as infants, but a third, believed to be their mother, Shiri, didn't match any hostage and remains unidentified.

Key takeaways from Trump-Putin talks: Ukraine, energy, NATO, sanctions
Here's what is known so far about what was discussed.
![[COLUMNIST] Whose rights? Islam, eurocentrism and the limits of human rights [COLUMNIST] Whose rights? Islam, eurocentrism and the limits of human rights](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-09/41726025526_UnitedNations.jpg)
[COLUMNIST] Whose rights? Islam, eurocentrism and the limits of human rights
For as long as rights are understood on Occidental terms, problems would inevitably remain. What is needed is an appreciation of diversity.

Argentina court clears 3 accused in singer Liam Payne's death
The court upheld the pre-trial detention of a hotel employee and a restaurant waiter held since last month.