In a recent move aimed at curbing disinformation, TikTok has removed the accounts of Russian state-owned media outlets RT (formerly Russia Today) and Sputnik. The decision came after the platform found these entities engaged in covert influence operations, violating TikTok’s community guidelines.
In an official statement on its website, TikTok explained that it is “removing accounts associated with Rossiya Segodnya and TV-Novosti for engaging in covert influence operations on TikTok, which violates our Community Guidelines.” This crackdown follows previous restrictions placed on RT and Sputnik within the EU and UK, where their content had already been limited.
Rossiya Segodnya and TV-Novosti are the parent organizations behind RT and Sputnik, both of which have faced increasing global scrutiny over their roles in disseminating state-controlled information.
Limitations on State-Affiliated Media Content
TikTok emphasized its global stance on limiting content from state-affiliated media under its policy. Content from organizations like RT and Sputnik had been made ineligible for the app’s “For You” feed, to curb foreign influence on global events. Additionally, these accounts had been labeled as state-controlled media to provide context on the origin of the content shared.
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This removal of accounts will also be documented in TikTok’s forthcoming September Covert Influence Operations report, as part of the platform’s ongoing efforts to maintain transparency.
Not the First Ban for Russian Media Outlets
The TikTok ban mirrors similar actions taken by other tech giants. Recently, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp, announced a ban on RT and other Russian media outlets. Meta’s decision came shortly after the Biden administration accused RT of acting as a tool for Moscow’s intelligence agencies. A Meta spokesperson confirmed the ban on September 16, stating that the company expanded its enforcement efforts to block these outlets for “foreign interference activity.”
Both TikTok and Meta’s actions are part of a broader movement to prevent the spread of disinformation and foreign interference, especially in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and geopolitical tensions surrounding Russia.
