According to a recent study from Network Contagion Research Institute and Rutgers, TikTok may be suppressing content that doesn’t align with Chinese interests. The study compared the volume of posts on controversial topics on Instagram to the amount on TikTok, concluding that the ratio of comparisons show certain topics are nearly off limits on TikTok.
However, the Cato Institute is highlighting what it calls “limitations” to the study, and is offering alternative explanations for the lack of sensitive topics on the platform.
The study focuses on ratios, comparing the number of posts on Instagram in several categories to the amount on TikTok. However, there are about twice as many posts with pop culture hashtags on Instagram than on TikTok.
The study points out Instagram has more users, so there will be more posts.
When looking at posts focusing on U.S. politics, the ratio remained the same. For every two Instagram posts related to U.S. politics, there would be one on TikTok.
Many topics stayed in the two-to-one range, but when investigating hashtags of more controversial categories, the ratio widened.
For example, for hashtags used in support of Ukraine, there were eight as many posts on Instagram than on TikTok. Support for Ukraine is not a Chinese interest, as China backs Russia.
Other hashtags opposite to Chinese interests saw an even greater difference, #FreeUyghurs was 58 to one and #Amazing Taiwan was used over 1 million times on Instagram compared to 1,000 on TikTok. For #HongKongProtest, the ratio landed at 206 to one.
On the other hand, hashtags friendly to Chinese interests saw the reverse. TikTok saw more than 600 posts for every one on Instagram for #StandWithKashmir.
“It is challenging to imagine that activity of such magnitude could occur on a platform organically, and without the knowledge and consent of the platform itself,” the study concluded. “We assess a strong possibility that content on TikTok is either amplified or suppressed based on its alignment with the interests of the Chinese government.”
TikTok called the study flawed based on its methodology — the same conclusion the Cato Institute reached.
Cato said TikTok users versus Instagram’s have different interests given the age difference.
About 25% of TikTok users are aged 10-19. Roughly 8% of Instagram users are teenagers.
When looking at the apps’ timelines, Instagram dates back to 2010, whereas TikTok launched in 2017.
In the seven years between, public discourse over certain issues spiked at different times. There were 37 times as many posts on Instagram related to the controversy between China and Tibet, however, there was more activism over the issue when TikTok was not available.
Whether it is purposefully done by the app or because of users’ personal preferences, TikTok does have significantly less content tagged on hashtags that would undermine the Chinese government.
But now, one of the tools used by algorithm critics to track hashtags’ popularity has been restricted by TikTok. A spokesperson said it has been “misused to draw inaccurate conclusions.”
The study is stirring up another TikTok controversy, but despite the disagreements on things like privacy, the app’s popularity continues to grow.
