TikTok is trying to contain the spread of misinformation about the 2020 US presidential election. The short-form video app is now partnering with fact-checkers to prevent claims of a premature victory from going viral.
TikTok Gets Ready for Election Day
TikTok is taking action on any content that falsely claims a candidate has won their race. The platform announced these changes in a post on the TikTok Newsroom, and made it clear that it takes elections seriously.
TikTok explained that it will “reduce discoverability of content that prematurely claims victory in a race before results are confirmed by The Associated Press.” And if some claims still have yet to be confirmed, TikTok notes that it will “limit distribution of the content” as well.
The platform stated that it already takes down “content that seeks to intimidate voters or suppress voting,” as well as uses a team of fact-checkers to determine when to take down “false or manipulated videos.” Now that TikTok will remove false claims of a victory, it’s only strengthening its fight against misinformation.
Additionally, TikTok plans on placing banners in the app to guide users towards its built-in election hub. This hub was unveiled in late September 2020, and contains an abundance of resources about the US elections.
The platform plans on adding even more content to its election guide come Election Day. On November 3rd, 2020, TikTok will link users to the US Election Assistance Commission if they’re confused about polling locations and voter registration. The guide will also include the Election Protection Hotline number for anyone who’s having trouble voting.
TikTok even announced that it’s partnering with The Associated Press to display an interactive Election Day map. This map will provide live results for elections around the US on both a national and local level. Once Election Day comes around, you’ll be able to view this map on TikTok’s For You page.
TikTok will also give users access to frequently asked questions from the National Association of Secretaries of State. This will provide more clarification surrounding the voting process.
In a closing statement on the post, TikTok commented on its duty to protect its community, saying:
In these momentous times, we’re intent on supporting our community as we work to maintain the integrity of our platform.
Facebook and Twitter are already planning on limiting the spread of posts that contain declarations of a premature victory. Now that TikTok has joined in, misinformation might struggle to find a home on major social media platforms.
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