TikTok has been pushing Chinese propaganda to millions of users in Europe: analysis::More than 1,000 ads from Chinese state media outlets have run on European users’ TikTok feeds since October 2022, according to the platform’s latest ad library update that was analyzed by Forbes.

  • fubo@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    The NYPost (low-quality tabloid) is just echoing an actual article at Forbes, which can also be accessed in archive form here.

    In general, when a low-quality tabloid site merely reports on the existence of research done by actual reporters, it’s better to follow the links and post the researched article instead of the tabloid one.

  • TimewornTraveler@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Downvote everything from that fuckin rag. Don’t post NYPost here. If there’s a story, find a news source that doesn’t itself have an outrageous history of propagandizing.

    • sigmaklimgrindset
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      1 year ago

      Do…people use Tiktok ironically?

      Jokes aside, I’m going to go against the grain a bit. I liked having Tiktok during the pandemic, it probably saved my mental health. The algorithm showed me videos of people having the same experience as me with the lockdown, or just stuff about my hobbies (I never got the horny stuff people always complain about).

      But I uninstalled it after social distancing rules were relaxed in my country because I started getting more and more polarizing and political videos, even though I wouldn’t engage with them.

      It could honestly be a great social media platform if it was based in a more privacy respecting country and we didn’t live in a capitalist hellscape where everything has be for profit.

      • InfiniteVariables@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        It’s not that special is the thing. Any tech company can replicate what tik-tok is doing it’s just that they don’t have inertia that tik-tok does.

    • malcyon@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      What does it mean to use TikTok ironically? How is that different from using it normally?

      Tiktok has 1 billion users. Whatever message they decide to push is going to propagate through the masses. I don’t think most people have the ability to notice and deflect misinformation like you’re implying.

  • trainsaresexy@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    See that other article on the NYPost next to this one? A guy turned himself into a border collie? He’s a dog now and it only cost $20,000.

    Great news source. No problems here. Not click bait garbage at all. Nope, not meant for maximum sharing. Thanks L4sBot for your contribution.

    • Match!!@pawb.social
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      1 year ago

      $20,000 to become your fursona would be a fucking steal to most furries, they would sell everything for that.

    • 𝙣𝙪𝙠𝙚@yah.lol
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      1 year ago

      In the first paragraph:

      TikTok has flooded millions of Europeans with ads from Chinese state propaganda outlets on topics like COVID-19 and tourism in the troubled Xinjiang region, according to an analysis of a recent ad library conducted by Forbes.

  • Max_Power@feddit.de
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    1 year ago

    Yeah well Orwell’s 1984 was way off then. The government does not even have to force people to install devices in their homes that blare government propaganda 24/7. They are doing it willingly, enthusiastiacally even, and they don’t even have to be citizens of that government lol

    Who would have thought?

  • fidodo@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Breaking news! Chinese company runs ads paid for by Chinese government! Did anyone think otherwise? All governments pay for ads. Who in their right mind would think a Chinese company would refuse their government as an ad customer?

    • Buelldozer@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Ads are one thing but state propaganda is something different. In a US political context this would be like the State of Florida running “Ads” on Facebook discussing how slavery was actually beneficial to the slaves. Get it now?

      • nomadjoanne@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Right. It certainly happens to the West. But the governments in Western democracy have to be a bit more subtle when it comes to their propaganda and not run this stuff directly.

          • nomadjoanne@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            I think they’re sadly quite effective on us. But I think the Chinese “Communist” regime’s propaganda is quite effective within China. It just doesn’t work well on us.

  • QubaXR@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    TikTok is garbage, but perhaps we should look at all the ridiculous right wing propaganda pushed by YouTube, Facebook and Twicough X

    • Tesco@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      YouTube is absolutely dreadful for it. I have literally zero interest in American politics, I’m interested in world events but frankly couldn’t care less about another country’s domestic politics yet it’s pushed almost every time I load the site.

      I mostly watch things like travel vlogs and trip reports, yet get endless spam about right wing American politics. There’s nothing in my search history that would suggest I’d care about it.

      • slumberlust@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        The advertisers cater adverts to target demographics and search/web history. While you may not be interested in them, they are certainly interested in you for some reason. They could be bad at their jobs, but it’s more likely there is some overlap there.

        • Tesco@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          It’s the YouTube algorithm that’s pushing this garbage and it’s blatantly obvious, the actual adverts largely line up with my interests. If I don’t watch a YouTuber for a couple of weeks they disappear from my reccommed. I never watch anything about American politics, barely watch any American YouTubers yet there it is every single time without fail.

    • minkshaman@lemmy.perthchat.org
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      1 year ago

      Exactly. It’s all propaganda, and to say “oh well Facebook is ok, so why pick on TikTok” is the hottest of takes.

      They’re all garbage and we should ban all of them.

    • kayos@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Only use Twitter reddit. I’m getting pissed off eith both. More shit. I understand they are all “free”, but I still want a basic standard.

  • rm_dash_r_star@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Propaganda is alive and well in the USA too, especially if you consider it in the most liberal sense.

    There’s an incredible amount of advertising in the media telling me what I need to think about any issue you can imagine. Most people just ignore it, but it annoys the crap out of me. I’ll make up own damn mind, thank you.

    This is a modern development, you never saw that crap forty years ago. I’m old enough to remember the before time. Most of it I can avoid simply by not watching commercial TV and blocking ads on the internet. Though sometimes it squeaks through on the TV and it makes me want to throw a chair at it.

    When I do have the misfortune of seeing that garbage it’s usually on TV and has an Ad Council logo on it. Who are these people and how are they able to egregiously spend the large amounts of money it takes to repeat ads on TV like that. That’s a lot of money consumed in a futile attempt to brainwash me through repetition.

    They could take that same ad money and actually use it to provide relief for some important social issues, like starving children. Instead they’d rather use it to try and influence my opinion in a futile way. Man that is really fucked up when you think about it.

      • lemmy_see@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Mobile gaming is also up there, with in app purchases, Gatcha addiction mechanisms which are basically modern day gambling, and yes also ad spamming. Where would you rank it?

    • hopelessbyanxiety@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Most people just ignore it

      In a way yeah sure, but the unconscius doesn’t forget 24/7 ads. We can’t possibly escape them since they’re literally everywhere. Whatever you buy, is done under the influence of at least some kind of advertisement (buy cheap/ fancy/ green/ fuckall)

    • Psythik@monyet.cc
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      1 year ago

      That and right-wing propaganda. So much propaganda.

      Just click on any video from a “liberal media” outlet, (like CNN), and look at the comments. (Or the dislike count if you have Return YouTube Dislike installed.)And then look at a video from Fox News. Nothing but praise for them, while the “liberal” videos are filled with so much hate from right-wing trolls.

      If you didn’t know any better, you could be lead to believe than 98% of Americans are Republican.

      • jcit878@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        its not just an american problem either, same stuff you will see on similarly leaning news articles and videos here in australia. all rambling about the same inconsequential shit that the cookers and loonies overseas ramble about as well.

        Its pretty funny that for the type of people that like to brag about ‘do your own research’, they sure are a bunch of stupid sheep that believe any idiotic thing they read online

        • RedAggroBest@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Hmmm wonder what the common thread between media in the US and Australia could be…? 😯

          If God is real, I’m about to read an article about the deaths of the entire Murdoch family.

      • drathvedro@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Nothing but praise for them, while the “liberal” videos are filled with so much hate from right-wing trolls.

        Not sure if it’s related. I’ve know a few channels that have non-political, but questionable/debatable content, and they have absolutely nothing but praises in comments. My bet is that they are using mod tools to delete/hide everything else, probably automatically.

        • jcit878@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Theres one channel I wont name (because i cant remember what it is actually) but its some chick with tourettes who goes into shops and has her boyfriend filming while she just knocks shit over and makes a mess, then carries on when confronted and makes out like the workers there are discriminating against her. I dont doubt she has a problem, but if anyone came into my shop making a mess while someones filming them WTF would anyone do? anyway, the comments were nothing but praise about how ‘brave’ she is and how hard it must be to live like that. I am absolutely sure any comment that points out how rediculous it is and does nothing to forward her cause are removed quickly

        • Psythik@monyet.cc
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          1 year ago

          Well I’m only talking about political news videos, here. Sorry for not clarifying.

  • nxfsi@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    There is no currently no actual evidence that TikTok is a threat to national security, but consider this:

    1. TikTok is owned by Chinese company
    2. All large Chinese companies are required to have Party members in the board, making them defacto state-run
    3. PR China is currently committing genocide, large-scale espionage, subversion of foreign countries and all sorts of fun stuff associated with authoritarian fascist dictatorships
    • avater@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      have you seen what videos are posted there? Fucking social media like this, reddit, twitter, instagram and facebook is a huge issue for everyone 😅

      we definitely would be better off without them

    • Bloved Madman@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Those 3 points sound like a reason to be a threat to national secuirry for any nation that’s not golfing buddies with China.

  • drewofdoom@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Not saying it’s a lie, but sourcing from NYPost is automatically a huge red flag.

    I’ll put more stock in this when it’s reported by reputable outlets.

    • 𝙣𝙪𝙠𝙚@yah.lol
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      1 year ago

      It’s literally linked in the first paragraph.

      TikTok has flooded millions of Europeans with ads from Chinese state propaganda outlets on topics like COVID-19 and tourism in the troubled Xinjiang region, according to an analysis of a recent ad library conducted by Forbes.

  • Move to lemm.ee@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Are you worried about your rising cost of living, decreasing living standards, wages and the total global catastrophe that is climate change?

    Don’t worry about that prole, worry about aliens and tiktok!