TikTok Removes RT And Sputnik Media Accounts Due To Covert Operation Influence

JAKARTA Following in Meta and YouTube's footsteps, TikTok said it had removed Russian state-owned media accounts. The platform removed RT accounts, formerly known as Russia Today, and Sputnik.

The deletion of this account was carried out on September 23 as part of TikTok's efforts to protect the US election. Through its official website, TikTok explained that these two accounts were involved in an action called the'covert influence operation'.

TikTok believes that RT and Sputnik accounts have violated one of the platform's Community Guidelines. Before his account was removed due to covert influences that could affect international users, these accounts had been restricted in the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom.

"Based on state-affiliated media policies, their content also does not qualify for the For You feed to limit efforts to influence foreign viewers on the topic of events and global affairs," TikTok explained in a recent transparency report.

After being permanently removed from TikTok, the RT and Sputnik accounts will be included in the Covert Influence Operations report for September. This report will be published to the public after September ends.

Before the deletion of this account was announced by TikTok, Sputnik suspected that the major platform was being intimidated by the US government to delete their accounts. According to Sputnik, the deletion of this account has limited the rights of thousands of users to get important information.

"TikTok users and 86,000 of our customers are no longer allowed to know the truth about geopolitical issues that are most pressing and laugh at Western politicians' mistakes in Sputnik International videos," Sputnik said via platform X on September 21.

In line with the deletion of this account, the US government suspects that Russia is trying to interfere in the upcoming US elections. Two major media such as RT and Sputnik are expected to weaken support for Ukraine.