Republicans renew calls for TikTok ban as anti-Israel posts dominate app

Published

11 months ago

November 7, 2023

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Republican lawmakers are increasingly concerned about a tide of anti-Israel content on TikTok during the war with Hamas and they are renewing their push to ban the China-owned app, The Post has learned.

While TikTok is highly secretive about the algorithms that distribute millions of short-form videos on the app daily, there are some telltale signs of the disproportionate amount of anti-Israel content on the app versus videos favoring Palestinians.

For example, the top result for the search phrase stand with Palestine had been viewed nearly 3 billion times as of Oct. 26, while the top result for stand with Israel was viewed just over 200 million times, according to one analysis that went viral on X.

TikToks own data obtained by Axios showed a similar gap in the US, with more than twice as many posts using the hashtag #StandwithPalestine as posts with #StandwithIsrael over the last two weeks.

The trends have worried prominent GOP lawmakers and officials some of whom, like Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), have called for a nationwide ban on TikTok over concerns that the app functions as a spying and propaganda tool for the Chinese Communist party.

Blackburn told the Post that it would not be surprising that the Chinese-owned TikTok is pushing pro-Hamas content to serve Chinas agenda which has increasingly aligned with the interests of rival nations such as Russia and Iran.

The CCP benefits by destabilizing the Middle East and pushing the United States to put more manpower back into the region, Blackburn said. The United States needs to ban this app that steals and spies on American users.

The tidal wave of pro-Palestinian content intensified earlier this month on TikTok, whose base of more than 150 million US users primarily skews toward Gen Z and millennials.

Scrutiny over TikToks role in the Israel-Hamas war included a recent viral thread composed by Jeff Morris Jr., managing partner of the venture fund Chapter One, who argued that Israel and its allies are losing the information war with high school & college students on the popular app.

A massive gap in the visibility of hashtags suggests that TikToks algorithm was amplifying pro-Palestine viewpoints, according to Morriss research.

Morris could not immediately be reached for comment.

Because the TikTok narrative is now so anti-Israel, the engagement flywheel encourages creators to support that narrative because its getting the most attention and creating anti-Israel content helps them increase their following.

TikTok had managed to escape the federal limelight as of late, but the apps central role in public discourse around the Israel-Hamas war could once again put them in the spotlight.

Gallagher, who serves as chair of the House Select Committee on China, told The Post that TikTok has become ground zero for disinformation and pro-Hamas propaganda and warned TikTok parent ByteDances ties to Beijing have made it difficult to separate organic viral trends from China-backed bots or influence campaigns.

We have zero visibility into whether the viral nature of this content is the result of user engagement, bot campaigns, or the CCPs covert influence, Gallagher said in a statement. All of this illustrates the fundamental problem with TikTok: it is an avenue for the CCP to covertly inject any message it wantsparticularly during a crisisinto the American bloodstream. We must act now to ban it.

Rubio noted that he has been warning that Communist China is capable of using TikToks algorithm to manipulate and influence Americans for quite some time.

Weve seen TikTok used to downplay the Uyghur genocide, the status of Taiwan, and now Hamas terrorism; This is further proof that the app needs to be banned and treated for what it is: foreign propaganda, Rubio said in a statement.

Last March, Rubio asked FBI Director Christopher Wray point-blank whether China could use TikTok to drive narratives aimed at stoking division in America. At the time, Wray acknowledged that it was not only possible, but the FBI was not sure that we would see many of the outward signs of it happening, if it was happening.”

A TikTok spokesperson pushed back on the lawmakers’ concerns, stating “there is no basis to these false claims.”

“Our Community Guidelines apply equally to all content on TikTok and we’re committed to consistently enforcing our policies to protect our community,” the spokesperson said. “The content on TikTok is generated by our community, and recommended based on content-neutral signals from users, and is not influenced by any government.”

The company said it regularly takes action to remove bot networks targeting American audiences, including some that originate in China. The company also noted that it sponsored the Anti-Defamation League’s “Concert Against Hate” this week, where honorees included Holocaust survivor Tova Friedman and her grandson, Aron Goodman.

The demographics of TikToks youthful user base could be another factor in the disparity. Morris cited a Harvard University poll showing that 51% of Americans aged 18 to 24 believed Hamas was justified in carrying out terrorist attacks that killed more than 1,200 Israeli civilians.

Meanwhile, a recent Reuters poll found 20% of people aged 18 to 24 go to TikTok for news, up 5% compared to last year. At the same time, public trust in traditional news outlets has dwindled.

TikTok touted its efforts to combat the spread of misinformation, noting in a recent blog post that it has removed over 500,000 videos and closed 8,000 livestreams in the impacted region for violating our guidelines.

Even as TikTok defends its recent actions, others note that antisemitism is a longstanding problem on the platform. Well before the Hamas attack, Israeli leaders were warning TikTok was spreading anti-Israel propaganda. Other individuals, like an Israeli actor, say TikTok has simply removed their videos that show how brutal the Hamas terrorists are.

Earlier this month, the European Union demanded that TikTok and fellow social media giant Meta provide details about their efforts to combat misinformation and hate speech related to the Israel-Hamas war.

TikToks efforts so far have failed to satisfy critics, including Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who stated TikTok is bad for your brain, bad for your kids, and if you needed another reason to stay awayits filled with antisemitic propaganda.

The TikTok spokesperson also pushed back on allegations of rampant antisemitism on the platform.

“TikTok stands firmly against hateful ideologies, including antisemitism, which have no place on our platform, the spokesperson said. We remove this content immediately when we identify it.

Meanwhile, Republican FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, another advocate for a nationwide ban on TikTok, noted China has a demonstrated history of using TikTok for foreign influence campaigns that advance Communist Chinas geopolitical interests.

The average TikTok user is more likely to be exposed to content favorable to the CCP than other major social media platforms, and leaked documents previously showed that TikTok instructed moderators to censor videos that mention Tiananmen Square, Carr said in a statement. So it would not be surprising at all if the data show that the CCP has been using TikTok to influence public opinion on Israel and Hamas.

Sports

Sources: Nats demote All-Star after all-nighter

Published

2 hours ago

September 21, 2024

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Sources: Nats demote All-Star after all-nighter

Jeff Passan, ESPNSep 21, 2024, 01:47 PM ET
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The Washington Nationals demoted All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams to the minor leagues after he stayed out all night at a Chicago-area casino, leaving only hours before a Friday day game against the Chicago Cubs, sources told ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.

The 23-year-old Abrams led off for the Nationals and went 0 for 3 with a walk and strikeout in Friday’s game, which started at 1 p.m. CT. He was informed of the demotion Friday night, sources said. He will be sent to West Palm Beach, home of the Nationals’ minor league complex.

Because Abrams has been with Washington for the entirety of the season, the demotion will not affect his service time. Players earn a full year of service with 172 days on the major league roster, and Abrams already has exceeded that threshold.

Abrams could, however, file a grievance through the Major League Baseball Players Association to fight for lost pay if he believes the demotion unjust. He would lose around $30,000 of his $752,000 salary for missing the season’s final week. Abrams will be arbitration-eligible this winter, entering the system for the first of four times as a Super 2.

Acquired as one of the centerpieces of the Juan Soto trade two years ago, Abrams parlayed a breakout first-half into an All-Star selection, hitting .268/.343/.489 with 15 home runs and 15 stolen bases over the Nationals’ first 89 games. He struggled significantly in the second half, slashing .203/.260/.326, and Abrams’ defense has been a weakness throughout the season.

Still, the Nationals did not intend to send him to the minor leagues until they learned of his time spent at the casino, which was first reported Friday by CHGO.

“I just want it to be known it wasn’t performance-based,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez told reporters Saturday. “It’s an internal issue. I’m not going to give specifics.”

World

At least 44 people killed in Israel strikes on Lebanon and Gaza in last 24 hours

Published

2 hours ago

September 21, 2024

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At least 44 people killed in Israel strikes on Lebanon and Gaza in last 24 hours

At least 44 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon and Gaza in the last 24 hours.

A strike on the Lebanese capital Beirut killed at least 31 people including three children and seven women, the country’s health minister Firas Abiad said.

Fifteen of the 68 wounded in the attack remain in hospital.

Ali Harake, the head of the rescue team searching through the rubble, told Sky News his team is still looking for between 17 and 18 missing people – though he fears none have survived.

Follow the latest updates on the Middle East

It is understood two apartment blocks in a densely populated southern neighbourhood collapsed in the strike – the deadliest attack on Beirut in decades.

Top Hezbollah commanders are believed to have been meeting in the basement of one of the buildings.

Hezbollah has confirmed two of its senior commanders, Ibrahim Aqil and Ahmed Wahbi, died in the strike while an Israeli military spokesperson said that at least 16 Hezbollah militants were killed.

Wahbi oversaw the military operations of the Radwan special forces – a commando unit that seeks to infiltrate and carry out attacks in Israel – until early 2024. Aqil was also a top commander for the Iran-backed group.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas has described the killing of Aqil as a “crime” and a “folly”, adding Israel will “pay the price”.

Meanwhile, at least 13 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza City, according to a local report.

The strikes are believed to have hit several schools sheltering displaced people in the southern part of the city.

The strikes come after Hezbollah launched one of its most intense bombardments of northern Israel in nearly a year of fighting, largely targeting Israeli military sites.

Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system intercepted most of the Katyusha rockets.

Hezbollah said its latest wave of rocket attacks was a response to past Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon.

It came days after mass explosions of Hezbollah pagers and walkie-talkies killed at least 37 people, including two children. Some 2,900 others were wounded in the assault which has been widely attributed to Israel.

World

Fire rips through arms depot deep inside Russia after huge Ukrainian drone attack – as Zelenskyy prepares to meet Trump

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2 hours ago

September 21, 2024

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Fire rips through arms depot deep inside Russia after huge Ukrainian drone attack - as Zelenskyy prepares to meet Trump

A fire has ripped through a Russian missile depot in the Tver region deep inside the country after it was targeted in a Ukrainian drone attack, the defence ministry in Moscow has said.

Footage shows a second Ukrainian drone attack on the southwestern Russian region of Krasnodar also triggered a fire and caused a series of explosions.

Russia’s defence ministry has claimed its forces shot down 101 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory and occupied Crimea during the overnight attacks.

The drone strikes were carried out as Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskky said he is hoping to meet Donald Trump next week when he travels to the US – where he will present US President Joe Biden with a “victory plan” in relation to the war.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s foreign minister said Russia appears to be planning strikes on Ukrainian nuclear facilities before the winter.

Posts on local Telegram channels said a Ukrainian drone attack struck an arms depot near the town of Toropets, in Russia’s Tver region – which is about 380 kilometres (240 miles) northwest of Moscow and about 500 kilometres (300 miles) from the Ukrainian border on Saturday.

Russian authorities closed a 100-kilometre (62-mile) stretch of a highway and evacuated passengers from a nearby rail station.

The depot appeared to be just miles from a Russian weapons arsenal storing missiles, bombs and ammunition in Tver that was struck by Ukrainian drones early Wednesday, injuring 13 people and also causing a huge fire.

Meanwhile, at least 1,200 people were evacuated from Russia’s southwestern Krasnodar region after an ammunition depot and missile arsenal were struck in the second drone attack overnight, the local governor has said.

Most of those evacuated were staying with friends and relatives, Veniamin Kondratyev, the governor of Krasnodar region, said on the Telegram messaging app.

There were no immediate reports of casualties in either Tver or Krasnodar.

Ukraine warning of attacks on nuclear sites

It comes as Kyiv is urging the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Ukraine’s allies to establish permanent monitoring missions at the country’s nuclear plants as it warns they could be targeted in Russian attacks.

“In particular, it concerns open distribution devices at (nuclear power plants and) transmission substations, critical for the safe operation of nuclear energy,” foreign minister Andriy Sybiha wrote on X.

Zelenskyy prepares for US trip

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian leader has said he plans to meet Republican presidential candidate Mr Trump on either Thursday or Friday next week.

During the trip, Mr Zelenskyy will present Mr Biden with a so-called victory plan as he hopes to bring about an end to the conflict.

The Ukrainian president has said the plan will include long-range striking capabilities and other weapons long sought by Kyiv, and will serve as the basis for any future negotiation with Russia.

He is also expected to push Washington to lift restrictions on long-range missile strikes inside Russia.

Mr Zelenskyy will attend sessions of the UN Security Council and General Assembly and also plans to meet vice president Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate in this year’s US election, in separate meetings on 26 September.

The developments come as three sources have told Reuters that Iran did not include mobile launchers with the close-range ballistic missiles that Washington has accused Tehran of delivering to Russia for use against Ukraine.

The sources – a European diplomat, a European intelligence official and a US official – said it was not clear why Iran did not supply launchers with the Fath-360 missiles, raising questions about when and if the weapons will be operational.