TikTok has taken action against accounts linked to Russian state media for engaging in covert influence operations ahead of the U.S. presidential election. The popular short-form video sharing platform announced on Monday that it has removed accounts associated with TV-Novosti, the parent organization of Russian state media RT, and Rossiya Segodnya, the entity behind Kremlin news agencies RIA Novosti and Sputnik.
The U.S. Department of Justice has identified Moscow as the primary threat to elections, with a recent hack by Iran also targeting the presidential campaigns of both political parties. In response, U.S. officials have employed various measures such as criminal charges, sanctions, and public advisories to expose foreign adversaries' attempts to influence the election. Notably, an indictment was issued targeting a covert Russian effort to disseminate pro-Russia content to U.S. audiences.
TikTok's move follows a similar action by Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, which recently banned Rossiya Segodnya, RT, and related entities from its apps. This decision drew criticism from the Kremlin and the affected media organizations.
Furthermore, TikTok revealed that accounts associated with TV-Novosti and Rossiya Segodnya were already restricted in the United Kingdom and European Union, with these accounts not permitted to appear on the app's main 'For You' feed.
On a separate note, TikTok announced changes to its business operations. The company disclosed on its website that it will be discontinuing its music service, TikTok Music, by November 28. Launched just two years ago, the service was available in five countries, including key markets like Brazil and Australia, but notably was not accessible in the U.S.
