A concerning discovery has come to the fore that the algorithm of TikTok has been touting far-right Alternative für Deutschland party content more often than would be expected and far more than young voters when they were seeking other political parties or unrelated topics. The trend is highlighted in a fresh report by researchers from AI Forensics and Interface, a European think tank specializing in information technology, and shared exclusively with WIRED.
According to a report, in the run-up to last month’s European Union elections, young users in Germany searched for specific political parties or politicians would frequently led to content related to the AfD. In some cases, roughly one-quarter of those studied, suggestions for other parties were offered, but most of the recommendations related to the AfD, the top far-right party in Germany.
Specifically, a well-documented history exists of AfD using TikTok to spread extremism and disinformation to a youth audience. However, the new research indicates that the algorithm of TikTok itself could be behind the increased exposure rate for this far-right group, branded “extremist” by a German court earlier this year.
TikTok, which reviewed the report before its publication, did not dispute the findings. The company acknowledged that it has previously made some AfD-linked accounts ineligible for search recommendations due to content violations. Martin Degeling, who tracks AI-based recommendation systems at Interface, explained that the algorithm’s design plays a significant role. “For the regular search, you will see AfD popping up more often, because the AfD is more present on TikTok, but for the search suggestions there’s also this algorithmic aspect where someone makes the decision to relate these two searches,” he said. Degeling noted that searches for other parties like the Green Party or the CDU often resulted in AfD content appearing, whereas searches for the AfD did not yield suggestions for other parties.
The researchers have highlighted that this work does not prove any active collaboration between TikTok and far-right parties, such as the AfD. In contrast, it is supposed to underline how bad actors will inadvertently be served by the platform’s structure. Another researcher at AI Forensics, Miazia Schüler, says, TikTok provides the far-right, especially the AfD, with an inadequately moderated space through the feature “Others Searched For”
This is not only happening on TikTok. The AfD has been using other social media platforms, specifically Facebook and Instagram, to spread provocative posts that confirm things such as racism, fascism, and hate speech. Very little moderation has been done by the platform on these posts.
These findings underscore how significant the need is now for improved monitoring and moderation of social media algorithms to prevent viral outbreaks of extremist content. The responsibility of tech companies to ensure that their products do not turn into playgrounds for harmful ideologies is ever more paramount, and the digital landscape keeps on altering.