TikTok Bans Paid Political Influencer Videos Ahead of US Midterm Elections

TikTok will work to stop content material creators from posting paid political messages on the short-form video app, as a part of its preparation for the US midterm election in November, the corporate mentioned on Wednesday.

Critics and lawmakers accuse TikTok and rival social media corporations together with Meta Platforms and Twitter of doing too little to cease political misinformation and divisive content material from spreading on their apps.

While TikTok has banned paid political adverts since 2019, marketing campaign strategists have skirted the ban by paying influencers to advertise political points. The firm seeks to shut the loophole by internet hosting briefings with creators and expertise companies to remind them that posting paid political content material is in opposition to TikTok’s insurance policies, mentioned Eric Han, TikTok’s head of US security, throughout a briefing with reporters.

He added that inside groups, together with people who work on belief and security, will monitor for indicators that creators are being paid to put up political content material, and the corporate can even depend on media experiences and outdoors companions to seek out violating posts.

“We saw this as an issue in 2020,” Han mentioned. “Once we find out about it … we will remove it from our platform.”

TikTok broadcast its plan following comparable updates from Meta and Twitter.

Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, mentioned Tuesday it can limit political advertisers from working new adverts per week earlier than the election, an motion it additionally took in 2020.

Last week, Twitter mentioned it deliberate to revive earlier methods for the midterm election, together with putting labels in entrance of some deceptive tweets and inserting dependable info into timelines to debunk false claims earlier than they unfold additional on-line. Civil and voting rights specialists mentioned the plan was not satisfactory to arrange for the election.

© Thomson Reuters 2022