The organization Global Witness conducted an investigation by creating 14 videos containing false information about the elections, which were approved by the platform for advertising.
The misinformation included claims that COVID-19 vaccinations were required for voting and that voting by mail was possible after polling stations closed. TikTok stated that most of the content was rejected at the initial stage, but three ads in English and eight in Irish were approved.
The investigation showed improvements in moderation for English content, but serious issues with detecting misinformation in Irish. The platform continues to assert that it does not allow political ads and is combating false information by providing users with verified data.
These accusations come amid increasing pressure on TikTok in the EU due to the platform’s influence on elections, including recent events in Romania.
