TikTok removes Russian state-owned media accounts for 'covert influence'

TikTok has removed accounts associated with Russian state media outlets Sputnik and RT, citing "covert influence operations" that violate its guidelines for spam and deceitful behavior. The accounts were previously restricted in the EU and UK, but are now permanently banned worldwide. Sputnik has responded, claiming that TikTok users are no longer allowed to access its content, which includes geopolitical news and humorous videos about Western politicians. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the FBI have reported that Russia has generated the most AI content related to the US presidential election, aiming to denigrate the Vice President and the Democratic Party. The US government has issued sanctions against Rossiya Segodnya and TV-Novosti, accusing RT of moving beyond being a media outlet and engaging in influence and intelligence operations worldwide. Meta has also banned Russian state media outlets on its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, for foreign interference activity. Microsoft has detailed several fake videos released by Russia, including ones featuring Kamala Harris, which are designed to spread misinformation and sway public opinion. The company warns that more Russian-made staged and AI-generated videos are likely to circulate online as the US election approaches. TikTok's state-affiliated media policy labels and restricts content from such outlets, but the removed accounts' content was not shown in the For You feed. The ban is part of TikTok's efforts to maintain the integrity of the US elections and prevent the spread of misinformation on its platform.