TikTok shouldn’t be proud of the suggestion that its algorithms are serving to to amplify content material concerning the Israel-Hamas struggle, or that it could even be speaking sides, with the platform posting a 1,300 phrase overview which explains why its methods will not be biased, and will not be seeding pro-Palestine content material.

That is been advised by some U.S. senators, who’ve renewed their requires a ban of the app, on account of its algorithms seemingly amplifying anti-Israel and anti-Jewish content material in current weeks.

TikTok’s full abstract contains insights into why sure hashtags could also be trending, underlining that that is based mostly on consumer exercise, not TikTok’s personal steerage.

As per TikTok:

“It’s important to know that hashtags on the platform are created and added to movies by content material creators, not TikTok. Tens of millions of individuals in areas such because the Center East and South East Asia account for a major proportion of views on hashtags. Due to this fact, there’s extra content material with #freepalestine and #standwithpalestine and extra general views. It’s straightforward to cherry choose hashtags to assist a false narrative concerning the platform.”

TikTok additional notes that comparable developments exist on Instagram, and different social platforms, whereas TikTok additionally says that it doesn’t work to affect the recognition of developments, that are additionally based mostly on consumer exercise.

“The content material individuals see on TikTok is generated by our group and proposals are based mostly on the content material individuals have beforehand engaged with. TikTok doesn’t “promote” one aspect of a problem over one other. Within the U.S., we now have given our third-party Trusted Expertise Supplier entry to TikTok supply code to know if the system is appearing as TikTok intends. We’re on a path to permitting an unprecedented quantity of third-party entry to confirm our supply code and methods, one thing no different peer firm has achieved.”

Which is in reference to Oracle having access to TikTok’s code, as a part of a deal to make sure that TikTok is allowed to proceed working within the U.S. Which continues to be, imagine it or not, into account by CFIUS, which has been reviewing the potential safety dangers of the app for years now.

That course of has been hamstrung by political wrangling, and now, it does seem to be TikTok received’t face a U.S. ban until a major new cause crops up (i.e. the U.S. and China have a significant falling out).

However being seen as taking sides in geopolitical incidents may additionally influence this, which is why TikTok is so eager to answer accusations that it could be influencing developments round such within the app.

Nevertheless it’s additionally not a radical suggestion.

In China, the CCP does have important sway over the content material that developments within the Chinese language model of the app, referred to as “Douyin”. Which is not any huge shock, given the CCP’s broader media management efforts, nevertheless it does counsel, ultimately, that TikTok might be a car for comparable suppression, and/or amplification, based mostly on the CCP’s steerage.

There’s no proof to counsel that that is taking place exterior of China as but. Nevertheless it stays a priority, and that’s probably extra problematic than the potential of U.S. consumer information being shared with Chinese language Authorities officers.

Although there’s no direct proof of this taking place both, however together, that is why TikTok stays a priority for U.S. safety officers, and why the specter of a full ban continues to loom over the app.

However TikTok has defended its actions, noting that it’s now operating a “command heart” to fight misinformation associated to the Israel-Hamas battle,

“We additionally added extra moderators who communicate Arabic and Hebrew to evaluate content material associated to the struggle. Between October 7 and October 31, 2023, TikTok eliminated greater than 925,000 movies within the battle area for violating our insurance policies round violence, hate speech, misinformation, and terrorism, together with content material selling Hamas.”

Given the stakes, it is smart that TikTok is leaping on the counterattack to defend its honor. Nevertheless it’s one other reminder of why the app stays in query, which may nonetheless see restrictions imposed on the platform at some stage.