TikTok says it disrupted more than a dozen influence campaigns this year

TikTok says it disrupted more than a dozen covert influence campaigns on the platform since January, including one originating from China.

In a blog post, the company announced it would begin publicly reporting on influence campaigns, where networks of accounts engage in coordinated efforts to sway political discourse. TikTok will share details of campaigns it detects and removes, saying it hopes it will “increase transparency about our work to aggressively counter influence attempts.”

The first report of its kind outlines 15 influence operations that spanned 3,000 accounts that had a combined millions of followers. In February, for example, TikTok claims it took down a network of 16 accounts operated from China that were targeting US users. The network used inauthentic accounts to “artificially amplify positive narratives of China,” including support for government policy and “general promotion of Chinese culture.” The network had around 110,000 followers.

In March, TikTok said it removed a network of 52 accounts operated from Ukraine, with a combined 2.6 million followers. The accounts targeted Ukrainians and posted pro-Ukraine clickbait content in an attempt to “manipulate discourse about the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine,” according to the report. The company also details influence campaigns in Indonesia, Venezuela, Germany, and Iran, among others, that attempted to manipulate politics. TikTok says it will also detail campaigns that it has previously removed that attempt to rejoin the platform.

TikTok also announced it would further restrict the reach of state-affiliated media accounts on the platform that try to reach international audiences on topics like global events and affairs. These accounts will be blocked from appearing in the For You feed, the powerful recommendations page that drives reach and engagement on TikTok. They’ll also be prohibited from advertising outside the country they’re based in.