Young voters in key election areas are being shown fake AI-generated videos of party leaders, misinformation, and abusive comments on TikTok, according to the BBC.
As TikTok becomes a new battleground for political parties aiming to reach young voters, a BBC investigation found that, alongside humorous content, misleading and divisive videos are spreading.
These are shared by students, political activists, comedians, and anonymous accounts.
One video falsely claims Rishi Sunak called an early election due to a scandal, while another baselessly accuses Sir Keir Starmer of failing to prosecute a serial paedophile.
AI-generated clips show Sunak making false statements about spending public money and sending young people to war zones.
Although some videos are labeled as satire, users often cannot distinguish fact from fiction. TikTok has responded by increasing efforts to counter misinformation, including adding a fact-checking expert and employing AI-labelling technology.
The BBC’s Undercover Voters project, which created fictional profiles to monitor content on social media, found TikTok to be a lively platform for political discussion among young voters.
These profiles revealed a mix of political memes, misleading claims, and abusive comments, with a notable amount of support for Reform UK, often from suspicious accounts.
Users creating this content, mostly in their teens and twenties, claim they are not officially affiliated with any political party and do not receive payment.
They use social media to engage peers in the election, even though some worry their satirical content might unintentionally mislead viewers.
TikTok stated it is increasing efforts to ensure reliable information is available on the platform and is taking steps to counter election misinformation and foreign interference.
For the full story, visit the BBC.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1ww6vz1l81o