Government should counter misinformation on TikTok, MPs say
The government should use TikTok to help combat misinformation directed at young people, a group of MPs has said.
Members of the cross-party Culture, Media and Sport Committee said ministers need to adapt to new apps and platforms that appeal to those who are increasingly turning away from traditional news sources.
The call comes despite the app being being banned from official electronic devices and the UK Parliament’s network.
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According to data from Ofcom, one in 10 people aged between 12 and 15 cite TikTok as their main source of news, while 71% of 16 to 24-year-olds use social media instead of or in addition to news websites.
The recommendation from MPs is part of a wider report published on Friday that calls for more use of “trusted voices” such as scientists and doctors to communicate important information and combat conspiracy theories and other misinformation spreading on social media.
The report said new apps like TikTok are “rapidly become major players, shifting audience habits but also fragmenting the sources the public use for information”.
It added: “The government must have a clear strategy for communicating with young people and adapting to the development of new apps and platforms which appeal to this audience.”
During the course of its inquiry, the committee heard from BBC disinformation editor Rebecca Skippage, who said broadcasters needed to be “in those (social media) spaces” and learn from “the disinformation merchants because they are extremely good at getting people’s attention”.
MPs also heard from consumer champion Martin Lewis, who said he had started using TikTok in response to “balderdash” produced by other users of the platform.
TikTok is under pressure in many countries over its links to the Chinese state – which it has always denied.
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Some MPs still use TikTok despite the ban, with Defence Secretary Grant Shapps being a noted enthusiast for the platform.
His account, with more tha20,000 followers, is handled by his constituency staff, who use their devices, sources close to him said last year.
In defence of the use, Mr Shapp’s spokeswoman said he is “concerned that representatives of the people who deliberately choose not to engage with the public on the platforms that they actually use are unlikely to continue to represent these voters for long”.
The Ministry of Defence operates a separate account which has about 17,500 followers and is managed using third-party software, in order to communicate with British troops around the world.
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Along with developing a strategy for engaging young people on the platforms they use, the committee urged the government to make more use of “the vast number of experts it employs”, building on the role played by Sir Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance during the COVID pandemic.
Committee chairwoman Dame Caroline Dinenage said the government is “missing a trick” in not giving the experts a larger public role “in the battle to counter misinformation”.
TikTok endorsed the committee’s findings, saying: “We welcome this report’s recommendation that the government should engage with the public on whatever platform they choose to use.”
A government spokesperson said a “range of channels” are used to reach people directly on platforms they spend the most time on, “including those which attract younger audiences”.
“Once implemented the Online Safety Act will also help tackle the root cause of disinformation by requiring social media platforms to swiftly remove illegal misinformation and disinformation as soon as they become aware of it,” the spokesperson added.
Two pro-Palestinian demonstrators have thrown red powder on Tower Bridge – just moments before leading runners in the London Marathon went past.
The protesters were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and remain in custody, said the Metropolitan Police.
A video shared by Youth Demand, which is calling for a trade embargo on Israel, shows two people jumping over a barrier that separates spectators from the race course.
The pair, wearing t-shirts that say “Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel”, are then seen standing in the middle of the road on the bridge.
Pic: LNP
They throw red powder in the air as an official marathon car goes past displaying the race time.
A motorbike with a cameraman on board continues along the route, while a second motorbike stops and one of the riders gets off and pushes the pair out of the way, just before the men’s elite runners pass.
Several police officers then jump over the barrier and detain the pair, the footage shows.
There appeared to be no impact on the marathon.
More than 56,000 participants were expected to take part in the 26.2-mile race through the capital.
Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s elite race in a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s-only world record in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.
Assefa beat the previous best of two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.
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Pic: LNP
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “At around 10.38am, two protesters from Youth Demand jumped over barriers at Tower Bridge and threw red paint on to the road.
“Marathon event staff intervened to remove the protesters from the path of the men’s elite race which was able to pass unobstructed.”
The force added that they were “quickly supported by police officers who arrested the protesters on suspicion of causing a public nuisance”.
The Met said the paint “appeared to be chalk-based” and was not expected to “present a hazard to runners yet to pass this point”.
Counter-terrorism police are investigating after an incident involving a crossbow and a firearm left two women injured in Leeds.
Police were called to Otley Road at 2.47pm on Saturday to reports of a “serious incident involving a man seen with weapons”, West Yorkshire Police said.
Officers arrived at the scene to find two women injured – and a 38-year-old man with a self-inflicted injury. All three were taken to hospital, with the man held under arrest, but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
“Two weapons have been recovered from the scene, which were a crossbow and a firearm,” Counter Terrorism Policing North East said in a statement.
The incident happened on the ‘Otley Run’ pub crawl, with one venue saying it was closed for the evening due to “unforeseen circumstances”.
Officers guard one of the crime scenes
Officers inside the cordon in Leeds
Counter Terrorism Policing’s statement added: “Due to the circumstances surrounding the incident, Counter Terrorism Policing North East have taken responsibility for leading the investigation with the support of West Yorkshire Police.
“Extensive enquiries continue to establish the full circumstances and explore any potential motivation.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described it as a “serious violent incident” and said she was being kept updated by police.
“Thank you to the police and emergency services for their swift response,” she said. “My thoughts are with the victims and all those affected by this attack.”
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