Foreign influencer operations: How TikTok shapes American perceptions of China
How much verified proof exists for this claim
One strong evidence source: arxiv
How intriguing or unexplained this claim is
The claim involves an active investigation into the influence of foreign operations on TikTok, with multiple competing theories about the extent and impact of pro-China influencers. There are notable unknowns and complexities in understanding the persuasive capabilities and reach of these influencers.
How do authoritarian regimes strengthen global support for nondemocratic political systems? Roughly half of the users of the social media platform TikTok report getting news from social media influencers. Against this backdrop, authoritarian regimes have increasingly outsourced content creation to these influencers. To gain understanding of the extent of this phenomenon and the persuasive capabilities of these influencers, we collect comprehensive data on pro-China influencers on TikTok. We s...