TikTok limits data tools after accusations of geopolitical bias

TikTok has restricted a tool that assesses trends on the app after facing criticism surrounding content related to the Gaza war. New York Times Report.

The platform, called Creative Hub, helps advertisers view the most popular hashtags on the site, but anyone can view them. Critics of the tool — namely researchers and lawmakers — say TikTok does not adequately police content on the app, according to the New York Times. Now, the Creative Center’s search function and links to hashtags related to the war in Gaza and other political events within the platform are reportedly no longer working.

In addition to themes surrounding ongoing conflict and U.S. politics, TikTok’s Creative Hub now shares data on the top 100 hashtags within different industries and topics.

Alex Haurek, a spokesman for TikTok parent company ByteDance, told the New York Times that some people used Creative Center tools to “draw inaccurate conclusions.”

“Unfortunately, some individuals and organizations have abused the center’s search capabilities and drawn inaccurate conclusions, so we are changing some features to ensure they are used for their intended purpose,” Haurek said.

Recently, business people, influencers and Jewish organizations, including Jewish Influencers and the Anti-Defamation League, have accused TikTok of pro-Palestinian bias and anti-Israel bias.group Mostly Republican members of Congress Pro-Palestinian content is being promoted through the app. Celebrities such as Sacha Baron Cohen and Amy Schumer have also criticized TikTok, with Cohen saying the app is “fueling the largest campaign of anti-Semitism since the Nazis.”

The Chinese-owned app has also been accused of being influenced by Beijing; Rutgers University’s Internet Contagion Institute said in a report that geopolitical issues suppressed by Beijing are underrepresented on TikTok compared with Instagram. TikTok responded that the report used “flawed methodology to reach predetermined and erroneous conclusions.”

In November, TikTok issued a statement in response to accusations related to the Israel-Hamas war, saying the label was produced by content creators and not TikTok, with millions of users living in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. “As a result, #freepalestine and #standwithpalestine have more content and a more comprehensive perspective,” TikTok said. “It’s easy to cherry-pick hashtags to support false narratives about the platform.” The statement mentioned the #standwithisrael and #freepalestine hashtags, saying that while The latter may have more videos related to it, but the former’s videos get 68% more views.

“TikTok does not ‘promote’ one side of an issue over another,” the statement stressed. The app also said it had removed 100 percent of anti-Semitic content reported last year.

Mashable has reached out to TikTok for comment.