Due to the recent developments regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it continues to be a confusing and scary time for people worldwide. Many national entities and companies have condemned Russia for plunging the two lands into prolonged fighting. While there hasn't been much direct foreign involvement with the conflict, aside from the shipment of weapons and supplies, foreign entities have found others ways to fight back against Russia.
For example, many nations are sanctioning Russian currency and making it almost entirely worthless, causing the nation's economy to plummet. There have even been calls for Xbox and Playstation to potentially ban Russia's service, showing a sign of solidarity with Ukraine. Now, in an unlikely turn of events, it seems that one of the largest social media platforms, TikTok, is joining the stand against Russia.
Earlier today, TikTok announced on Twitter that it would be temporarily banning livestreaming and new content production within Russia. This decision is also in response to Russia's new "fake news" law recently put in place. TikTok then explains that it is currently reviewing the safety implications of the law and evolving circumstances in Russia before it continues its services, prioritizing the safety of its users.
The fake news law that TikTok mentions is Vladimir Putin's rule that any Russian citizen that spreads "false information" about Russia's military or calls for sanctions against Russia will face serious consequences. Punishment for breaking this new law could result in either financial fines or potentially 15 years of jail time. Russia's reasoning for this bill is to punish citizens who purposefully distort the purpose of the Russian Armed Forces during military conflict.
TikTok states that it acknowledges the heightened impact this may have on its users during a time of crisis. It continues to work hard to ensure accounts can express themselves freely while mitigating potential harm on the platform. For example, there was fake footage of Digital Combat Simulator that was spreading on the internet, claiming to be a Ukrainian pilot being shot down. So, to combat misinformation such as this, TikTok has hired bigger teams of people who speak multiple different languages, including both Russian and Ukrainian, to verify the legitimacy of posts.
While the platform may have done little in the past to stop controversial TikTok users and trends, this is a step in the right direction for the company. However, some are still critical of TikTok, saying it can still do more to curb the spread of misinformation, such as banning bot accounts from spreading false data. For now, it is just a matter of time to see just how long TikTok will decide to restrict its services and what else it may decide to do.
Source: TikTok