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TikTok’s Pro-China Tilt (www.nytimes.com)

submitted 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) by Dark_Arc@social.packetloss.gg to c/usnews@beehaw.org

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The times dives into an intelligence report on how TikTok's political algorithm anomalies align with the CCP's Geostrategic Objectives https://networkcontagion.us/wp-content/uploads/A-Tik-Tok-ing-Timebomb_12.21.23.pdf

This report highlights major differences in the prevalence of hashtags related to subjects like Hong Kong Protests, Tainanmen Square, Tibet, the South China Sea, Taiwan, Uyghurs, Pro-Ukraine, and Pro-Isreal when compared to other major social media platforms.

Additionally the times cited a Wall Street Journal analysis (https://www.wsj.com/tech/tiktok-israel-gaza-hamas-war-a5dfa0ee) which "found evidence that TikTok was promoting extreme content, especially against Israel. (China has generally sided with Hamas.)"

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[–] Zworf@beehaw.org 6 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

Media ownership by foreign countries is indeed a worry.

Even in Holland we have this problem: 90% of the media companies (newspapers, magazines, websites) are owned by only two Belgian mediaconcerns. This is not a smart thing to do. But we never hear about that here.

Not that there's an explicit problem at the moment but such a huge imbalance is not smart IMO.

[–] Dark_Arc@social.packetloss.gg 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I think there's definitely a difference between a friendly country and an unfriendly country.

I would not have the reservations I have about TikTok if it was owned by, e.g. a EU country, Canada, etc

[–] Zworf@beehaw.org 4 points 6 months ago

Well in this case it's not really about the fact that they're Belgian. Because unlike China there is a big separation between state and corporation here. It's more the fact that it's only two private concerns which is hardly competition.

Also, due them being based abroad the local legislation has less grip on them. The exact country they're from is indeed less important as long as it can be considered friendly.