Tue Sep 24 02:22:00 UTC 2024: ## TikTok Bans Russian State Media Accounts Amid Disinformation Concerns

**San Francisco, CA – September 24, 2024** – In a move echoing recent action by Meta, TikTok has announced the removal of accounts associated with Russian state media, citing their involvement in covert influence operations. The ban affects accounts belonging to Rossiya Segodnya, which owns the RIA Novosti and Sputnik news services, and TV-Novosti, the parent company of the RT news channel.

The ban comes as part of TikTok’s efforts to combat disinformation ahead of the upcoming US presidential election in November. While these accounts were previously restricted in the UK and EU, and their content globally marked as state-controlled media, they have now been permanently banned from the platform.

This action mirrors Meta’s decision last week to ban Rossiya Segodnya, RT, and other Russian state-linked media outlets for alleged foreign interference activities. RT, which lost its UK broadcasting license in March 2022, condemned the ban, claiming Meta is censoring information flow to the world. The Kremlin similarly denounced Meta’s actions as an attempt to discredit itself.

TikTok has yet to respond to the recent ban announcement. The move comes amid an ongoing US investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election, with two RT employees facing charges this month for allegedly attempting to hire an American company to produce online content designed to sway the election.

The US Department of Justice also shut down nearly 1,000 social media bot accounts in July, claiming they were created to spread Russian disinformation. This recent ban by TikTok further underscores the growing concern surrounding foreign influence operations on social media platforms, particularly in the context of upcoming elections.

It’s worth noting that TikTok itself faces challenges in the US, with a new law potentially threatening to ban the platform over concerns about data sharing with the Chinese government. Despite these internal issues, the company has taken a firm stance against Russian state media, demonstrating its commitment to fighting disinformation and protecting the integrity of its platform.

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