February 14-TikTok, the social media platform owned by ByteDance, announced its intensified efforts against fake news and covert influence operations leading up to the European Parliament elections in June. The company plans to launch local language “election centres” in all 27 EU member states, building on initiatives that began in 2021 and gained momentum during national elections in countries like Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, and Spain.
The localized app aims to enhance Europeans’ understanding of the electoral process, addressing concerns globally about misinformation, AI-generated deepfakes, and the impact of social media platforms on elections. TikTok reports that 30% of European Parliament lawmakers are active on its platform.
TikTok’s head of trust & safety EMEA, Kevin Morgan, stated in a blog post that the Election Centres would collaborate with local electoral commissions and civil society organizations to provide a space where users can access reliable information. The platform previously partnered with fact-checking organizations to create educational videos about the electoral process and combat misinformation during national elections.
To further its commitment to fact-checking, TikTok plans to expand its network to include more organizations in Europe and launch nine additional media literacy campaigns in 2024. The platform will also introduce dedicated covert influence operations reports in the coming months to enhance transparency and accountability in its efforts to maintain a trustworthy information environment.
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