TikTok Accused of Manipulating Content to Align with Chinese Interests

New report suggests the platform is promoting anti-Israel sentiment among young Americans, raising concerns about foreign influence and propaganda.

A new report from the National Contagion Research Institute suggests that TikTok's content is manipulated to align with the interests of the Chinese government, including promoting anti-Israel sentiment among young Americans.
Researchers found that TikTok users were often exposed to highly polarized content, with a majority of posts supporting the Palestinian view.
China, which has significant investments in Arab countries antagonistic to Israel, is accused of using TikTok to protect these interests.
Pro-Palestinian hashtags such as #FreePalestine are used significantly more frequently on TikTok than pro-Israel ones, suggesting a potential bias in the platform's content promotion.
Despite TikTok's denial of these allegations, critics argue that the platform's Chinese ownership poses a potential privacy risk and source of foreign propaganda.