TikTok's Algorithm Exposes Young Users To War-Related Content: Report

In a recent investigation by The Wall Street Journal, it was discovered that bot accounts registered as 13-year-olds on TikTok are being flooded with content related to the Israel-Hamas war.

What Happened: The WSJ conducted an investigation creating multiple automated accounts to comprehend the type of content TikTok’s algorithm recommends to its young audience. The bot accounts were quickly flooded with videos about the conflict, many of which held extreme viewpoints. A large portion of the content was seen to incite fear, with some videos urging viewers to prepare for an impending attack.

The study also highlighted that TikTok’s content curation largely depends on user viewing habits, making it hard for researchers and parents to track the kind of content young users are exposed to.

See Also: Tucker Carlson Would Try To Destroy Donald Trump’s Reelection Chances If He Selects This Running Mate: ‘That’s Just Poison’

Reacting to the investigation, a TikTok spokesperson informed WSJ that the experiment does not mirror the experiences of teenage users on the platform. They mentioned that TikTok removed over 6.9 million videos with graphic content and 2.4 million promoting violent and hate-filled organizations between Oct. 7 and Nov. 30.

Why It Matters: This investigation comes at a time when TikTok has faced criticism for its content policies. In October 2022, TikTok was fined by Russia for refusing to remove certain content. More recently, in November 2023, legislators demanded a ban on TikTok, citing its pro-Palestinian and anti-Israeli content.

Given the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the exposure of young individuals to such polarized content raises concerns about the influence of TikTok’s algorithm on its user base.

Read Next: Ex-Trump Aide Michael Cohen Alleges Former President Of Increasing Racist Comments: ‘Even I Can’t Tell You How Low He Will Go’

Photo by Eliseu Geisler on Shutterstock