TikTok Follows Meta and Bans ‘Deceptive’ Russian Media Accounts

Denial and Determination from Russian Media

RT News denies any wrongdoing. Its editor-in-chief, Margarita Simonyan was reported by Reuters to threaten that they will continue to get content into the US, whatever bans they face. “They close entry to us, and we will go through the window; close the window, and we will go through the vents, and we will see what holes there are in the organism of the United States of America.”.

TikTok’s report on August’s covert activity reveals exactly how persistent these organizations can be. In just that one month, TikTok removed 7792 accounts “associated with previously disrupted networks attempting to re-establish their presence within this reporting period”. These accounts targeted conversations about the Ukraine war; political discussions in Mexico and conversations about Russia.

Meanwhile, TikTok is facing its own battle about insidious foreign activity. The Chinese-owned company is facing a ban in the US after accusations that it has not been ring-fencing sensible user information from the Chinese Government.

While this battle plays out in court, and this very divisive US Election approaches, TikTok will be going into overdrive to protect its users from meddling and misinformation from bad foreign players like Russia, and, ironically, its host country, China.