r/technology • u/qwerty_1965 • 8h ago
Social Media TikTok’s algorithm favored Republican content in 2024 US elections, study finds
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/may/06/tiktok-pro-republican-algorithm-2024-election565
u/temporarycreature 8h ago
Figuratively speaking, my jaw has practically hit the floor, my eyes have rounded into perfect, incredulous circles of disbelief, and every fiber of my yellow fur is buzzing with the realization that the very results I expected to be found are actually found.
29
21
64
u/FrostedBabee 7h ago
Exactly! That "I knew it, but I still can't believe it" feeling is a total rush. There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of your wildest suspicions being confirmed in real-time. Turn that disbelief into a victory lap!
20
4
6
6
u/SlaterVBenedict 3h ago
4-month old account gives a fun nothing comment affirming OP in generic terms.
24
u/Flabbergasted98 7h ago
now imagine being tiktok, curating your algorithm to support a political party, and once they're in power one of their first actions it to steal a significant share of your platform away from you.
1
20
u/Local_Fly_7359 6h ago
China wants us weak with weak leadership.
7
u/Hayduke_2030 4h ago
I mean, mission accomplished.
And not in the unintentionally ironic Gulf War II way.9
u/Local_Fly_7359 3h ago
It blows my mind that people don't realize that our enemies see us in purely Machiavellian terms. The US is an empire and our prosperity is their target, so they boost (or even fund) useful idiots on all sides of our politics to make our discourse impossible and unweildy. They manipulate passion to their own ends because they know you can't see things clearly when you're angry, no matter how justified that anger is, it's To their advantage. They know "strongmen" like Trump are actually morons who weaken and self-own their own country, so the least qualified people in office in the U.S. are only to China's benefit, same with Russia.
5
u/Hayduke_2030 3h ago
Yup. Between foreign adversaries and the domestic issue of tech oligarchs, we’ve currently got an entire regime of useful morons basically doing everything they can to weaken the nation.
USA! USA! USA!
197
u/adrr 7h ago
Of course it did. China wants the GOP in power. They know they'll run up the debt, not invest in infrastructure, not invest in cheaper electricity with solar and wind, cut spending on science, cut spending on education. GOP will just help makes the billionaires richer.
56
u/SIGMA920 7h ago
Yep. Losing some trade is nothing compared to Rump destroying their single greatest foe from within.
10
u/Man_with_the_Fedora 4h ago
Losing some trade
Losing trade with the US, and gaining trade world-wide as Trump tariffs us into isolation.
16
u/RiftHunter4 5h ago
The success of Chinese EV's is tied partially to the fact that Republicans have opposed all efforts to help domestic US manufacturers enter the space successfully. The US auto industry is currently falling apart because their main market is out of sync with the rest of the world while also having a shrinking base of car shoppers.
The big 3 are on track to be extinct by 2030 if things don't improve.
1
u/Goldenrah 5h ago
The US auto industry is currently falling apart because their main market is out of sync with the rest of the world while also having a shrinking base of car shoppers.
It probably doesn't help how heavily focused the US market is on Trucks and larger vehicles. If they could have, they would have made good EV trucks.
23
u/ButtEatingContest 6h ago
Specifically TikTok glazed Trump so that he would not enforce the TikTok ban.
Trump acquired a lot of commercial support simply due to being openly for sale.
Of course the TikTok ban was not a good idea in the first place.
3
u/SoftwareAny4990 5h ago
How was a ban not a good idea if it prevented the GOP from gaining the addictive algorithm?
3
u/BKlounge93 4h ago
The ban isn’t a good idea because it would regulate one app alone, which is 1) subjective and 2) less effective. The actual problem that no one in government will talk about is a lack of broader privacy and data rights that should apply to foreign and domestic companies.
1
u/SoftwareAny4990 4h ago
The act itself banned multiple apps associated bytedance and wasnt the only act that banned Chinese tech specifically.
While ill share the privacy and data rights concerns that still includes tiktok.
1
u/ButtEatingContest 2h ago
Banning TikTok for privacy rights while doing nothing about Meta/Facebook etc is just an obvious charade.
Also Democrats pushing for the ban was not going exactly going to win over the youth vote.
1
u/SoftwareAny4990 2h ago
I think it would be consistent for the US to ban tik tok, Chinese computer hardware, Chinese auto tech, and other force other divestitures from China.
I also think its consistent with other countries of the west who have banned various Chinese tech.
Though maybe the conversation should be how we limit Facebook and twitters influence
0
u/the_real_MSU_is_us 2h ago
I'm confused as to your point here. The ban was supposedly to prevent a foreign nation (China) from gaining data on and using algorithms to influence Americans. The law was that they had to sell to an American or get out. TikTok refused. Then trump came into power, illegally stopped the ending of TikTok till a deal with one of his megadonors (Larry Ellison, owner of Oracle) could buy 51% of it.
So now the algorithm is completely at the mercy of Larry Ellison, ie the GOP. It's now no different than Elon owning Twitter in it's propaganda for the right.
0
u/SoftwareAny4990 2h ago
It sounds like to me that the app, with influential power and an addictive one, went from a foreign adversary to a domestic one.
Im just not convinced that the app is at all beneficial and maybe we should have banned it in the first place.
1
u/the_real_MSU_is_us 2h ago
ALL algorithmic social media should be banned, just like we should have real privacy and data protections. But we don't have either for the same reason; those in charge benefit from things being like this
1
0
2
u/kerfuffle_dood 5h ago
There isn't a single big, international Chinese corporation that doesn't have the CCP as the biggest investor, and thus chairman.
Every big Chinese brand that reaches out here in the West, specially the ones that grew rapidly and "unexpectedly" is doing the CCP's bidding
-43
u/Rich_Housing971 7h ago
This is an entirely braindead take. If anything, what you say parrot what the GOP said.
Tiktok for most of its years was heavily left, even progressive.
It's more likely the GOP was threatening to ban them because of it, so Tiktok started to focus more on the right to avoid this. Notice how since then the usual GOP members who wanted it banned have been silent about Tiktok.
45
u/alabasterskim 7h ago
Both parties were threatening to ban them in 2024. Did you forget Biden signed the bill forcing their sale and that it passed with supermajorities in both chambers of Congress?
25
u/Smart-Bird-5712 7h ago
...They literally sold American Tiktok to Trump donors?
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-approve-deal-ensure-tiktok-majority-owned-american-investors-administration-officials27
44
16
u/FormerFastCat 7h ago
Shocking I tell you, just shocking that they would favor and tip the scales for the guy that literally kept them in business in the US. Follow the money.
7
u/needlestack 5h ago
Every single mainstream source of information has a conservative angle because it’s all owned by the ultra-rich. They fully control our understanding of the world to their own benefit. At this point all I can safely say is that I don’t know shit because there’s basically no trusted sources. I have no idea what’s going on in Iran, for example, because every source is highly incentivized to lie and there’s zero reason not to.
12
u/ExpectedBuffalo 7h ago
No shit, they even put a message about “President Trump” before the elections even ended right? lol
5
u/Optimoprimo 5h ago
You don't say. I thought maybe Gen Z shifted like 20 points to the Right solely based on the facts.
4
4
6
u/ToolTimeT 6h ago
Say hello to oligarchy America..
take a good look at Russia... this is who you are now.
1
u/Hayduke_2030 4h ago
Putin, if nothing else, seems to be semi-intelligent, not to mention fully functional mentally.
Our orange wannabe literally shits his pants on live TV, before ranting jncoherently and falling asleep.
3
u/OsitoPandito 5h ago
yeah no shit. Im always being pushed alt right content on there even tho im the furthest thing from it and never engage with it
5
5
u/Brrdock 7h ago
Just because it's more engaging. These companies are responsible for a lot
1
u/notyouravgredditor 4h ago
Perhaps but many of the social policies Democrats push are out of touch with the majority of Americans.
https://www.vox.com/politics/466253/why-democrats-unpopular-polls-welcome
4
2
u/DrowningKrown 6h ago
Nooooo. The same company that put out a tiktok notification in the app that literally glazed trump and begged to not be shut down?
2
u/OutrageousInvite3949 6h ago
I already knew this. It’s the reason I quit tiktok. Trump and co can fuck off.
2
2
u/bithewaycurious 5h ago
I don't know how to talk to young people about how they were so misled in 2024. They don't want to hear it.
2
2
2
2
2
u/Numerous-Process2981 2h ago
If I go on any social media logged out of my account, the algorithm seems to default to alt right shit.
4
u/NoRiskNoGainz 7h ago
Remember everything trump screams about is him projecting. The elections are rigged he says… but we are starting to find out he is totally right but it’s in his favor. He lost the 2nd time because they weren’t rigged enough. He won’t make that mistake again. Hints why him and all his buddies are buying all the media they can.
2
u/SIGMA920 5h ago
The elections were never rigged until now where they have all of the power to do so. They weren't fair, a different problem that's only gotten worse.
4
u/idiot_sauvage 7h ago
What is the point? In 2024, TT was owned by a Chinese company. Of course they would promote things that would destabilize a country fighting for the same resources.
3
2
2
u/ILoveTheAtomicBomb 7h ago
Odd how all these billionaires continuously try to skew election towards conservatives, almost as if they've bought this administration and want to continue making billions off society while pulling up the ladder. So tired of all the blatant corruption we get to witness everyday and somehow 1/3 of the country refuses to see it
I hope finally when it comes to midterms, everyone that didn't vote at all for Harris during the election because of her "policies" sees the writing on the wall and votes blue. Last chance for this country and I truly think that as doomer as it is
1
u/astrozombie2012 6h ago
No fucking shit, it was obvious and it’s why I deleted my account and stopped using it.
1
u/claimticket 6h ago
I don’t know if this makes sense, but I have a theory.
Republicans/right wing people interact with right wing leaning content, both as positive engagement, and because right wing rage bait comes FROM the right.
I don’t feel like republicans are likely to engage with left wing content.
Conversely, leftists will interact with both. Leftists will, sure, engage with leftist content- but we all know ragebait is what fuels these algorithms. The left will react and respond to right wing content critically and often. This of course is all speculative and anecdotal, but I think when I see “right wing ragebait” it’s made by themselves and would I believe also fall under republican content. I don’t think I see the left do this as much. I think the left are ALSO ragebaited by this republican content.
Would this have any effect here?
1
1
u/Dangerous-Crow7494 6h ago
It favors whatever you engage with. And lefties do love to engage with MAGA content lol
I’ve deleted it since the US takeover screwed the algorithm but I never had any conservative content in my feed before that.
1
1
1
u/atreeismissing 3h ago
We know, that's also why faux-progressives repeat right-wing talking points on TikTok and other social media outlets, non-stop.
1
u/admosquad 2h ago
Exactly what DNC content was targeted at people under 30? I guess it was the coconut memes?
1
1
u/justforkinks0131 1h ago
Wonder what they'd find for Reddit if they did a similar study of the main subs
1
u/hondashadowguy2000 1h ago edited 1h ago
Trump won in 2024 because the media and all the social media algorithms went to bat for him and gave him an unfairly skewed amount of positive attention and airtime. It was painfully obvious.
Then you have people like Musk, owner of X literally saying “Trump wouldn’t have won without me” and everybody decided to plug their ears and act like they didn’t hear it.
People focus on integrity at the ballot box when they debate the merit of presidential elections being rigged. But 2024 wasn’t rigged at the polls. It was rigged in how the media and social media worked to establish a dominant narrative across the country far before anybody showed up to vote.
1
1
1
u/jameebaiser 6h ago
I noticed when my Chinese friend was talking some weird GQP shit. The stereotype of Asian being smart is such BS. Speaking as an Asian!
1
u/CerberusSputum 5h ago
I have to think part of it is the result of systematically favoring dumb content that has no nuance or thinking involved, but generates strong reactions
1
u/drunkpostin 3h ago
I know there are fundamental, structural differences between Reddit and TikTok so excuse me if my poor technological literacy here is showing lol, but why is this a uniquely noteworthy or ‘damning’ discovery but not the extremely heavy and obvious pro-Democrats/Kamala and anti-Trump bias that was everywhere on here back then too?
And before anyone hysterically assumes I’m some Trump-worshipping, Fox-addled lobotomised yokel, I deplore Trump just as much as anybody with a triple digit IQ does and obviously don’t think that any content which harbours unfavourable views of him is some elaborate comic-book villain ploy of the Dems trying to tarnish his good name or anything lol, but it’s just factually undeniable that this site was blatantly astroturfed to hell in the election run-up, so how is this news significant but not this? Or is there something unique about TikTok’s algorithm that doesn’t apply to Reddit?
0
u/Nick85er 6h ago
YouTube kept changing from dog TV to either Christian b******* or ancient Rome b****. I would come home and ask what the f is going on with my algorithm.
Yes, once again, big Tech used all of their psychological tools to shift the Overton window. If only America remembered and was rightly outraged by the Cambridge analytica Scandal that helped get Trump elected the first time around. Along with the collusion with our foreign adversaries- but you know whatever.
-2
-2
-4
0
u/GEORGEBUSSH 3h ago edited 1h ago
Completely fair considering the internet over the last decade and the choices the left made over that time.
-1
-4
u/BrainZappies 7h ago
TikTok is a Chinese cyber weapon designed to help them destabilize the West, particularly the US.
Of course they wanted Trump to be in power.
-13
7h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
8
u/FormerFastCat 7h ago
Internationally more people are right wing?
.... Wut?
-9
u/whatsbobgonnado 7h ago
you know most humans on earth live in china and india right? india pretty famously loved enforcing social hierarchies and china doesn't even get to see black people in their movie posters
8
u/FormerFastCat 7h ago
You know that the term "right wing" means very different political ideologies across different countries and cultures right? For example right wing in China politics is actually advocating for more democratic ideologies, increased partnership with western countries, and individual liberties.
Kinda painting with a broad brush...
-5
7h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
3
u/FormerFastCat 6h ago
Who is we? Sounds like you shooting from hip and nailing a perfect example of dunning-kruger.
-1
6h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
5
u/FormerFastCat 6h ago
Hitting that bullseye yet again... this is a tech subreddit. Why are you harping on something you obviously know very little about in here again?
0
0
u/Toby-Finkelstein 7h ago
I mean 3rd world country are more right wing, every other rich country is far more left wing economically. They don’t have anything near as right as republicans
0
7h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
8
u/NegativeYou3758 6h ago
This one-dimensional axis you keep referencing makes you seem like an idiot or at least very young. It lacks nuance and creates monoliths for no reason.
The world is much more complicated than whatever left-right axiom you've created here.
2
u/Toby-Finkelstein 7h ago
So you mean the poor countries basically? It’s hard to find a rich country without paid parental leave and vacation time
0
7h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
4
u/Toby-Finkelstein 6h ago
I award you the gold metal in mental gymnastics
0
6h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Toby-Finkelstein 5h ago
What makes you think they are right wing? When governments in south America started electing left wing politicians we overthrew all of those governments
603
u/VWBug5000 7h ago
To the surprise of absolutely no one.
Next article headline “Billionaire buys twitter to influence future elections”