TikTok has taken down accounts linked to two Russian media organizations for allegedly attempting to exert “covert influence” on the upcoming US presidential election, in a move that breaches the platform’s policies.
These accounts were associated with Rossiya Segodnya and TV-Novosti, the parent entities behind the Sputnik news agency and RT broadcaster, respectively.
The social media platform, in a statement released on its website Monday, identified these groups as “state-affiliated.”
This action follows a similar step by Meta, formerly Facebook, which announced last week that it had banned Rossiya Segodnya, RT, and “related entities” from its platforms worldwide, citing concerns over “foreign interference activity.”
The ban affects their presence on popular social media networks like Facebook and Instagram.
Neither Rossiya Segodnya nor RT responded to CNN’s request for comments on TikTok’s decision to remove their accounts.
The move by TikTok comes in the wake of legal actions taken earlier this month by the US Department of Justice.
The department charged two employees of RT with funneling close to $10 million into a US-based entity, identified by CNN as Tenet Media, to promote content favorable to Russian state interests.
This covert campaign, according to US officials, was aimed at influencing American public opinion ahead of the presidential election.
Tenet Media, which hosts a roster of prominent right-wing and pro-Trump voices, such as Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson, found itself embroiled in the controversy. In response, these commentators issued statements denying any knowledge of the alleged Russian plot and portraying themselves as unwitting participants.
RT, on the other hand, reacted to the charges with derisive comments but did not directly address the specific allegations made by US authorities.
Meanwhile, TikTok has faced its own scrutiny over potential foreign influence, given its ownership by Chinese tech company ByteDance. With 170 million American users engaging with content ranging from politics to entertainment, concerns have been raised about whether the Chinese government could sway the platform’s algorithm to influence US public opinion.
In response to these apprehensions, President Joe Biden signed a bill in April that could potentially result in a nationwide ban on TikTok unless the platform changes ownership.
ByteDance has since contested this legislation in court, seeking to prevent any forced sale or ban on its operations in the United States.
