The American Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) released a report stating that TikTok is actively promoting pro-Chinese content, influencing the views of users in the United States in favor of China. The report details how social networks can shape the beliefs and behaviors of users, swaying them to support the Chinese Communist Party (CPC).
According to the study, TikTok algorithms actively boost the dissemination of pro-Chinese content while simultaneously suppressing anti-Chinese narratives. Accounts tied to state structures like media and influencers controlled by China yield similar results. This activity is leading to a shift in citizens’ attitudes towards China, particularly among active TikTok users.
The report revealed that TikTok accounts for the smallest portion of anti-Chinese content compared to Instagram and YouTube. Pro-China or neutral content made up between 61% to 93% of search results, with content critical of China comprising only 5%.
For instance, when searching for “Tiananmen,” 26.6% of TikTok search results were pro-Chinese, while Instagram showed 16.3% and YouTube only 7.7%. Conversely, YouTube had 64.7% anti-Chinese content, Instagram had 56.3%, far surpassing TikTok’s 19.6%.
Similar trends were observed for other searches such as “Tibet” and “Uyghurs.” On YouTube, 4 out of 5 top accounts in the search results belonged to official or semi-state Chinese media, generating nearly 40% of the total pro-Chinese content on the platform.
The NCRI study indicates that TikTok is becoming a potent tool for influencing the younger Generation Z in the United States, covertly pushing the CPC agenda and stifling critical opinions about China’s policies.
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