A recent report from the Brookings Institution suggests that Russia may be increasingly using the popular social media platform TikTok to push state-sponsored messaging. The report indicates that the number of Russian state-affiliated accounts posting on TikTok has decreased slightly since 2022, but the frequency of posts has increased. Russian-affiliated accounts are posting more frequently on TikTok compared to last year and are driving higher engagement on their content.
While Russian-affiliated accounts are more active on other platforms like X, formerly Twitter, TikTok has been more successful at driving engagement on Russia-backed content. The report found that almost all of the top engaging posts from Russian-sponsored accounts were made on TikTok. Overall engagement on Russian-backed TikTok posts has significantly increased since 2022, from three million engagements per day to 13 million engagements per day so far in 2024.
Russian-affiliated TikTok content tends to focus on U.S. political content, with posts covering topics such as Tucker Carlson’s praise for Russia and criticism of President Joe Biden. However, U.S.-focused content only makes up a small portion of Russian state media’s overall social media messaging, with many posts focusing on Russia’s war in Ukraine and NATO. TikTok has stated that it clearly labels state-controlled media accounts on its platform and plans to expand its policy in the coming weeks to address accounts that attempt to reach communities outside their home country.
The report highlights a clear shift in Russia’s strategies for pushing its preferred messages, recognizing TikTok as a potential driver for engagement. This comes as other observers have noted increased Russian efforts to influence U.S. politics ahead of the 2024 election. The Brookings report on TikTok comes as U.S. lawmakers have passed legislation threatening to ban TikTok if its parent company, ByteDance, cannot find a U.S.-based buyer. This legislation was prompted by concerns about Chinese links to ByteDance and the potential misuse of U.S. user data.
Report author Valerie Wirtschafter argues that TikTok should not be avoided entirely or only seen as a platform for Chinese propaganda. She emphasizes that TikTok is a contested information space like any other social media platform and that overlooking Russia’s increased presence on the platform allows their narratives to circulate widely without pushback. The report sheds light on the evolving landscape of social media influence and the potential for platforms like TikTok to be used for state-sponsored messaging.
