In recent times the TikTok became the social network of the moment and has maintained this place for some time, where it attracts kids and has a strong influence in industries such as music.
Now, a report has concluded that 20% of the app's search results are misinformation.
When faced with the conclusion, a TikTok spokesperson assured that the application does not allow the circulation of false information.
TikTok's popularity is nothing new, and it doesn't seem to be losing steam. Incidentally, according to the Mashable, young people are looking at the application and seeing a new search engine, a “replacement” for those that already exist and for those that, like TikTok, have been replacing them.
As an entertainment platform, TikTok can serve as a search engine for certain subjects. However, when the themes become more important, such as political or medical issues, for example, the problem can gain another dimension.
BUT: TikTok. Vulnerability discovered that could affect millions of people
According to a report by the NewsGuard, social networks harbor a high “volume of disinformation on serious topics”. The same document reports that 20% of search results on TikTok include misinformation. In addition, the format and concept of the platform allow the dissemination of false content.
The investigation that led to the NewsGuard report involved checking 540 different TikTok videos. Of all the contents analyzed, it was found that 105 of them contained “false or misleading claims🇧🇷 These were related to topics such as the war in Ukraine and vaccines against COVID-19.
The researchers noted that “TikTok users are constantly confronted with false and misleading claims".
After deciding to do its own investigation regarding misinformation on TikTok, Mashable received a statement from a spokesperson for the platform, who claimed that the Community Guidelines make it clear that the company does not allow harmful misinformation, which could result in the removal of the contents.
