TikTok blocks dozens of Kremlin-backed media accounts

TikTok has banned dozens of accounts associated with state-owned Russian media, including RT and TV-Novosti, citing security concerns ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November.

The move comes a week after another tech giant, Meta issued a similar ban, claiming the Kremlin-backed media outlets engage in deceptive influence operations. In a statement on Monday, TikTok also cited influence operations as the reason for removing accounts.

TikTok said it had previously tried to limit the visibility of Russian state-affiliated media in users’ feeds, labeling the accounts “to provide important context about the source of the content.”

According to RT, TikTok also removed nearly 40 accounts belonging to the Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik. RT stated last week that TikTok did not explain why the accounts were deleted.

TikTok has not responded to Recorded Future News’ request for comment about how many Russian state media organizations were affected by the ban. 

The moves against Russian state-sponsored media align with U.S. policy, but TikTok’s future in the U.S. is uncertain due to concerns that its parent company, ByteDance, may have ties to the Chinese government. U.S. authorities also previously accused the app of spreading harmful content and misinformation, and posing privacy risks.

Earlier in September, the U.S. announced that it took down 32 websites used for a Russian influence operation and charged two Russian nationals working for RT for their role in paying U.S.-based media influencers to spread propaganda aligned with the Kremlin's goals.

The U.S. government also reported finding deep connections between RT and Russian intelligence operations. RT shut down its American arm in 2022.

In addition to Meta and TikTok, another U.S. tech giant, Google, said earlier in September that it shut down several YouTube channels belonging to Tennessee-based media company Tenet Media, which the U.S. linked to a Russian disinformation campaign.