Study finds Russian state media increasing presence on TikTok in lead-up to U.S. presidential election

Russian state-affiliated accounts have ramped up their presence on TikTok, a popular short-form video platform, ahead of the U.S. presidential election, a new study from the Brookings Institution reveals.

According to the report, these accounts are using TikTok to spread Kremlin messages in English and Spanish, posting more frequently than they did in the past. While they are also active on other social media platforms like Telegram and X, the engagement on TikTok has been significantly higher in terms of likes, views, and shares.

Valerie Wirtschafter, a Brookings fellow in foreign policy and artificial intelligence, authored the report which analyzed data from 70 state-affiliated accounts. The study highlights the potential for Russia to reach new, younger audiences through TikTok.

Although most posts do not directly focus on U.S. politics, the report notes that divisive topics such as U.S. policy on Israel and Russia, as well as questions about President Joe Biden’s age, are gaining traction on the platform.

In response to these findings, a TikTok spokesperson stated that the company has taken action against covert influence operations in the past, removing accounts linked to Russia. They also mentioned plans to expand their labeling of state-controlled media accounts to address accounts attempting to influence global events.

This news comes as President Biden recently signed legislation that could force TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell the platform or face a ban in the U.S., a move that is expected to face legal challenges.