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TikTok is 'hatescape' for racism and white supremacy, study says
Jessica Guynn USA TODAY - August 24th 2021
Despite pledges to crack down on hatred, TikTok is still trafficking in short-form videos that promote white supremacy and anti-Black racism, according to a new study from the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue.
Of the 1,030 videos researchers analyzed over three months in 2020, 312 – nearly a third – amplified white supremacy. The clips included support for genocide conspiracy theories that claim white people’s existence is under threat and music from white power bands.
Though white supremacist videos were by far the largest category of content the study uncovered, the institute found an alarming number of videos spewing offensive content about Asians, LGBTQ people, migrants and refugees, women, Muslims and Jews.
Black people were also frequent targets of hate. Some videos mocked or celebrated the death of George Floyd, who was murdered by a white police officer in Minneapolis in 2020. Another video covered Black Lives Matters’ closed fist symbol with a white hand in a Nazi salute.
“Not only are communities, minorities or groups of people like African Americans being targeted, those who target them are also being praised, shared and glorified on the platform,”says strategic dialogue institute analyst Ciaran O'Connor.
Are kids, teens exposed to extremism on TikTok?
Are kids, teens exposed to extremism on TikTok?
That, he says, can be dangerous, particularly with TikTok’s wide reach among young people. O’Connor says he regularly spotted watermarked links to white supremacist Telegram channels. In the comments, users would ask or advise others how to find extremist manifestos or additional materials.
“To think that young people are not only viewing such content that is hateful of communities and supportive of extremists, but also actively creating this content, too, is especially concerning,” he said. TikTok says it does not permit threats and incitement to violence, dangerous individuals or organizations, attacks or slurs based on protected characteristics, and hateful ideologies, and it says it removes any content that violates its rules, including video, audio, livestream, images, comments and text. It said last year that it has "zero tolerance" for organized hate groups and those associated with them.
Extremists hide activity using TikTok features
Extremists hide activity using TikTok features
What’s more, extremists use the platform’s features – profiles, hashtags, share functions, video effects and music – to push their ideologies and cloak their activities.
“The platform is being used exactly as TikTok designed it – video effects, music, hashtags are being used to tag, promote and group together content – but in this case, this activity is being used to promote hatred and extremism,” O’Connor said.
To evade (avoid) detection, TikTok creators turn their accounts private, restrict comments to "followers only," or use alternative hashtag spellings. They also use the video grid layout to send hidden messages. One creator posted six videos, each containing a letter that spells out a racial slur. If they are banned from TikTok for violating its policies, they return to the platform with almost identical usernames, the institute found.
How much terrorist, antisemitic content is on TikTok? No one knows
How much terrorist, antisemitic content is on TikTok? No one knows
How widespread is extremism on TikTok? It’s impossible for researchers to determine because they don’t have access to enough data. But, O’Connor said, “the promotion of hatred and support for extremism appears to be widespread.”
Of the videos analyzed by the researchers, 246 videos – nearly a quarter – expressed support for extremists or terrorists, including glorification of Adolf Hitler and propaganda from the Islamic State group.
Researchers also uncovered terrorism footage of the 2019 Christchurch mosque attack in New Zealand as well as 30 videos that supported the attacker and three videos that featured video games recreating the tragic events.
The most-viewed video, seen 2 million times, promoted anti-Asian hatred linked to COVID-19. Two videos among the 10 most-viewed mocked victims and denied the Bosnian genocide and the Holocaust.
Hate against Black people was found in 139 videos. A dozen featured a white supremacist dressed in blackface or dressed as a police officer reenacting Floyd’s murder. Two used visuals of Floyd with a voiceover denying the Holocaust. The Ku Klux Klan was also glorified, including one video that shows figures in white robes carrying a burning cross.
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TikTok is 'hatescape' for racism and white supremacy, study says
Jessica Guynn USA TODAY - August 24th 2021
TikTok is still trafficking in short-form videos that promote white supremacy and anti-Black racism.
Of the 1,030 videos researchers analyzed over three months in 2020, 312 – the institute found an alarming number of videos spewing offensive content about Asians, LGBTQ people, migrants and refugees, women, Muslims and Jews.
Black people were also frequent targets of hate. (1) Some videos mocked or celebrated the death of George Floyd, who was murdered by a white police officer in Minneapolis in 2020. (2)Another video covered Black Lives Matters’ closed fist symbol with a white hand in a Sieg Heil, the Nazi victory salute.
“Not only are communities, minorities or groups of people like African Americans being targeted, those who target them are also being praised, shared and glorified on the platform,”says strategic dialogue institute analyst Ciaran O'Connor.
Are kids, teens exposed to extremism on TikTok?
O’Connor says he regularly spotted watermarked links to white supremacist Telegram channels. In the comments, users would ask or advise others how to find extremist manifestos or additional materials.
TikTok says it does not permit threats and incitement to violence, dangerous individuals or organizations, attacks or slurs based on protected characteristics, and hateful ideologies, and it says it removes any content that violates its rules, including video, audio, livestream, images, comments and text.
Extremists hide activity using TikTok features
What’s more, extremists use the platform’s features – profiles, hashtags, share functions, video effects and music – to push their ideologies and cloak their activities.
“The platform is being used exactly as TikTok designed it – video effects, music, hashtags are being used to tag, promote and group together content – but in this case, this activity is being used to promote hatred and extremism,” O’Connor said. To evade (avoid) detection, TikTok creators turn their accounts private, restrict comments to followers only, or use alternative hashtag spellings. They also use the video grid layout to send hidden messages. One creator posted six videos, each containing a letter that spells out a racial slur.
How much terrorist, antisemitic content is on TikTok? No one knows
Researchers, 246 videos – nearly a quarter – expressed support for extremists or terrorists, including the glorification (worshiping) of Adolf Hitler and propaganda from the Islamic State group.
Researchers also uncovered terrorism footage of the 2019 Christchurch mosque attack in New Zealand as well as 30 videos that supported the attacker and three videos that featured video games recreating the tragic events.
The most-viewed video, seen 2 million times, promoted anti-Asian hatred linked to COVID-19. Two videos among the 10 most-viewed mocked victims and denied the Bosnian genocide and the Holocaust.
Hate against Black people was found in 139 videos. A dozen featured a white supremacist dressed in blackface or dressed as a police officer reenacting Floyd’s murder. Two used visuals of Floyd with a voiceover denying the Holocaust. The Ku Klux Klan was also glorified, including one video that shows figures in white robes carrying a burning cross.
versión en español
versión en español
TikTok es un "escape de odio" para el racismo y la supremacía blanca, según un estudio
Jessica Guynn EE. UU. HOY - 24 de agosto de 2021
TikTok todavía está traficando con videos de formato corto que promueven la supremacía blanca y el racismo contra los negros.
De los 1030 videos que los investigadores analizaron durante tres meses en 2020, 312: el instituto encontró una cantidad alarmante de videos que arrojaban contenido ofensivo sobre asiáticos, personas LGBTQ, inmigrantes y refugiados, mujeres, musulmanes y judíos.
Los negros también fueron objetivos frecuentes del odio. (1) Algunos videos se burlaban o celebraban la muerte de George Floyd, quien fue asesinado por un oficial de policía blanco en Minneapolis en 2020. (2) Otro video cubría el símbolo del puño cerrado de Black Lives Matters con una mano blanca en un Sieg Heil, el Saludo de victoria nazi.
“No solo se ataca a comunidades, minorías o grupos de personas como los afroamericanos, quienes los atacan también son elogiados, compartidos y glorificados en la plataforma”, dice Ciaran O'Connor, analista del instituto de diálogo estratégico.
¿Los niños y adolescentes están expuestos al extremismo en TikTok?
O'Connor dice que regularmente vio enlaces con marcas de agua a canales de Telegram de supremacistas blancos. En los comentarios, los usuarios preguntaban o aconsejaban a otros cómo encontrar manifiestos extremistas o materiales adicionales.
TikTok dice que no permite amenazas e incitación a la violencia, personas u organizaciones peligrosas, ataques o calumnias basadas en características protegidas e ideologías odiosas, y dice que elimina cualquier contenido que viole sus reglas, incluidos video, audio, transmisión en vivo, imágenes, comentarios y texto.
Los extremistas ocultan su actividad usando las funciones de TikTok
Además, los extremistas usan las características de la plataforma (perfiles, hashtags, funciones para compartir, efectos de video y música) para impulsar sus ideologías y encubrir sus actividades.
“La plataforma se usa exactamente como TikTok la diseñó: se usan efectos de video, música, hashtags para etiquetar, promover y agrupar contenido, pero en este caso, esta actividad se usa para promover el odio y el extremismo”, dijo O'Connor. dicho. Para evadir (evitar) la detección, los creadores de TikTok convierten sus cuentas en privadas, restringen los comentarios solo a los seguidores o usan grafías de hashtag alternativas. También usan el diseño de cuadrícula de video para enviar mensajes ocultos. Un creador publicó seis videos, cada uno con una letra que deletrea un insulto racial.
¿Cuánto contenido terrorista y antisemita hay en TikTok? Nadie sabe
Investigadores, 246 videos, casi una cuarta parte, expresaron apoyo a extremistas o terroristas, incluida la glorificación (adoración) de Adolf Hitler y la propaganda del grupo Estado Islámico.
Los investigadores también descubrieron imágenes terroristas del ataque a la mezquita de Christchurch en Nueva Zelanda en 2019, así como 30 videos que apoyaban al atacante y tres videos que mostraban videojuegos que recreaban los trágicos eventos.
El video más visto, visto 2 millones de veces, promovía el odio anti-asiático relacionado con COVID-19. Dos videos entre los 10 más vistos se burlaban de las víctimas y negaban el genocidio bosnio y el Holocausto.
El odio contra los negros se encontró en 139 videos. Una docena presentaba a un supremacista blanco vestido con la cara pintada de negro o disfrazado de oficial de policía que representaba el asesinato de Floyd. Dos imágenes usadas de Floyd con una voz en off negando el Holocausto. El Ku Klux Klan también fue glorificado, incluido un video que muestra figuras con túnicas blancas que llevan una cruz en llamas.
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