"TikTok says it has acted to curb disinformation amid Israel-Hamas war", 15 October 2023

TikTok has said it has assigned more people to combat disinformation on its platform after the attack on Israel by Hamas after the European Union chastised the social media company.

The company,..., said in a statement it had “immediately mobilised significant resources and personnel to help maintain the safety of our community and integrity of our platform”, and that it had removed more than 500,000 videos and closed 8,000 live streams in the region.

Social media companies have repeatedly come under scrutiny during periods of war, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, fighting over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, and now the war between Hamas and Israel.

TikTok said it had launched a command centre to look at the latest conflict, updated its automated detection systems to look for graphic and violent content, and added an unspecified number of moderators who speak Arabic and Hebrew. It has also restricted live broadcasts “given the heightened safety risk in the context of the current hostage situation”.

The EU’s commissioner for industry, Thierry Breton,... wrote to Shou Zi Chew, TikTok’s chief executive, calling for the company to step up its efforts to respond promptly to law enforcement requests to take down illegal content, and asking for a response to his letter within 24 hours.

Breton said the EU had seen “indications that TikTok is being used to disseminate illegal content and disinformation in the EU.”

TikTok had a particular responsibility to protect children and teenagers from graphic and distressing content such as videos of hostage taking, Breton said, and that “fake and manipulated images and facts” were circulating on the platform.

The social media platform insisted it “stands against terrorism”.

It also said it remains “focused on supporting free expression, upholding our commitment to human rights, and protecting our platform during the Israel-Hamas war”.