TikTok bad actors are using AI to churn out political misinformation, new report shows

The rise of the TikTok AI content farm.
By Chase DiBenedetto  on 
A close up of a phone screen showing the Telegram, TikTok, and Threads apps.
Dozens of TikTok accounts are harnessing AI to spread political misinformation. Credit: SOPA Images / Contributor / LightRocket via Getty Images

TikTok view bait has gotten a boost from AI over the last year, including content spreading political falsehoods ahead of the election, according to new data from misinformation watchdog NewsGuard.

In a new report detailing the use of AI tools among TikTok's bad actors, the organization discovered at least 41 TikTok accounts posting false, AI-enhanced content in both English and French. Between March 2023 and June 2024, the accounts posted 9,784 videos totaling over 380 million views, coming out to an average of one to four AI-narrated videos each day. Many of the videos used identical scripts, hinting at a coordinated effort. Several of the accounts also qualified for monetization on their videos, under TikTok’s Creator Fund.

Much of the content included essay or fun-fact style videos sharing false narratives about U.S. and European politics and the Russia-Ukraine war, NewsGuard explained, such as the incorrect claim that NATO had deployed combat troops in Ukraine and that the U.S. was behind the March Crocus City Hall terrorist attack in Moscow.

The research was conducted in partnership with AI detection tool TrueMedia.org.

Last year, NewsGuard documented the rise of a small network of TikTok accounts using AI-facilitated text-to-speech tools to spread celebrity conspiracy theories. The short form videos used AI to instantly generate narration and additional voices across a mass of videos sharing false information. In total, the accounts garnered 336 million views and 14.5 million likes in a span of three months.

Mashable Light Speed
Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories?
Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter.
By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!

The latest report shows a substantial increase in similarly AI-boosted content on the app, this time with political motivations. The trend hints at an increasingly incentivized and growing AI content farm on the app — defined by the organization as "entities that generate large volumes of low-quality content, typically to attract views and ad revenue."

The spread of AI-facilitated misinformation and disinformation hasn't gone unnoticed by TikTok, with the platform pledging to more effectively label and even watermark content using generative AI. But political misinformation, backed by the efficiency of AI features, has continued to proliferate.

Meanwhile, on July 9, the Justice Department announced it had identified and taken down an AI-powered Russian bot farm running at least 1,000 pro-Kremlin accounts on X (formerly Twitter) and backed by Russia's KGB successor. A few months prior, OpenAI announced it had terminated accounts of confirmed foreign state actors attempting to use its AI technology to support potential cyber attacks.

The U.S. itself has harnessed AI technology and bot farms to spread its own counter narratives and even outright disinformation campaigns, including a 2020 initiative to curb foreign influence by spreading misinformation about COVID-19.

As the election nears (and voter turnout and candidate trust comes under question) watchdogs and advocates continue to monitor both targeted disinformation and AI-boosted misinformation spread on social media platforms.

Chase sits in front of a green framed window, wearing a cheetah print shirt and looking to her right. On the window's glass pane reads "Ricas's Tostadas" in red lettering.
Chase DiBenedetto
Social Good Reporter

Chase joined Mashable's Social Good team in 2020, covering online stories about digital activism, climate justice, accessibility, and media representation. Her work also touches on how these conversations manifest in politics, popular culture, and fandom. Sometimes she's very funny.


Recommended For You
Prime Day 2024 is coming: 130+ of the best early deals you can already shop
Glowing cardboard box on a blue background



The best day of summer is here — it's free Slurpee day at 7-Eleven
three green slurpees on a purple background

Get 25% off JetBlue flights this fall
Plane with JetBlue logo on tail flying through sky

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for July 11
A phone displaying the New York Times game 'Connections.'

'Wordle' today: Here's the answer hints for July 11
a phone displaying Wordle


Webb telescope may have just revealed an alien world with air
A super-Earth orbiting a red dwarf star

NYT's The Mini crossword answers for July 11
Closeup view of crossword puzzle clues
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!