TikTok Reveals Russian Disinformation Network Targeting European Users
- Accounts spread anti-Ukrainian messages in local languages
- Disclosure was part of a report to the EU released on Thursday
TikTok and other social media platforms were asked to file voluntary reports on their disinformation mitigation practices in Europe.
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TikTok Inc. identified a Russian disinformation network spreading war propaganda about Ukraine to more than a hundred thousand European users over the summer, the company disclosed on Thursday.
The network operated in Russia, but targeted mostly people in Germany, Italy and the UK in their respective languages. About 1,700 accounts belonging to the network were able to spread anti-Ukrainian messages by masquerading as accounts created by local users. Between July and September 2022 the accounts attracted 133,564 followers, it added.