Anonymous TikTok accounts spread pro-Russia content ahead of Czech election: Study
PRAGUE: Hundreds of anonymous accounts on video-sharing platform TikTok have been spreading pro-Russia narratives and promoting radical parties ahead of the Czech Republic's Oct 3-4 election, a Czech non-governmental group said on Sunday (Sep 28).
Online Risk Labs, a newly formed group of Czech analysts, said it had identified 286 TikTok accounts that frequently boosted each other's content. Together, they drew between 5 million and 9 million weekly views, more than the combined reach of mainstream party leaders, the group said.
"The accounts do not align with a single political entity, but rather demonstrate support for multiple radical and extremist parties simultaneously," the group said in a statement.
A QUARTER OF CZECHS USE TIKTOK
Nearly a quarter of Czechs use TikTok, according to local media reports, a smaller proportion than in Romania, where a presidential election was annulled last year over allegations of Russian meddling via the platform. Moscow has denied those accusations.
The Czech telecoms watchdog CTU said it had received several complaints about TikTok accounts.
"We have found these suggestions relevant and handed them over to the European Commission as the supervisory organ for large platforms," the CTU told Reuters, adding that it was also in contact with TikTok.
TikTok and the Czech Interior Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
BACKING RADICAL PARTIES
Online Risk Labs said the accounts voiced support for parties including the far-right SPD, which is running third in most opinion polls with about 13 per cent support, and the far-left Stacilo!, which is polling just above the 5 per cent threshold to enter parliament.
Both parties have called for the Czech Republic to leave NATO and the European Union.
The group added that candidates promoted by the accounts were not necessarily aware of the posts.
The latest polls ahead of the parliamentary vote show the opposition ANO party of former prime minister Andrej Babis leading by a wide margin over Prime Minister Petr Fiala's SPOLU centre-right coalition. Analysts say ANO may need the support of SPD and Stacilo! to secure a majority.
