TikTok is increasingly becoming a platform where absurd AI-generated conspiracy theories proliferate.

TikTok is under scrutiny for failing to contain violent beheading content related to Justin Mohn's alleged killing of his father. Despite community guidelines prohibiting such content, videos featuring Mohn's actions have garnered millions of views on the platform. TikTok's suggested search feature has even recommended searches for unblurred images of the severed head. The platform's Creativity Program Beta, which compensates creators, may be financially rewarding sensationalist and disturbing content. The article calls for TikTok to evolve its policies to address the new harms posed by AI-generated content.

Russell Brand, once hailed as a left-wing hero, has shifted towards promoting right-wing figures and conspiracy theories on his show 'Stay Free.' This transition, described as a 'grift drift,' is financially rewarding due to platforms like Rumble, which host such content. Brand's YouTube channel gained popularity by spreading COVID-19 conspiracy theories, leading to economic opportunities through advertisements and subscriptions. The article criticizes this evolution, highlighting the profitability of right-wing and conspiratorial content online.

Far-right online figures are spreading a baseless conspiracy theory claiming that the e-commerce platform Etsy is involved in child trafficking, similar to the debunked 2020 conspiracy theory about Wayfair. The theory alleges that certain high-priced products on Etsy are actually trafficked children or related materials, echoing elements of the Pizzagate and QAnon conspiracies. The claim has gained traction on various social media platforms, earning millions of views. Previously, the Wayfair conspiracy theory led to an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security, which found no evidence to support the allegations.

The article highlights the denial of climate change among conservative commentators and right-wing Christian media, who attribute weather events to divine intervention rather than scientific causes. It discusses the decline in concern over climate change among evangelicals, citing a study by the Public Religion Research Institute. Prominent figures and media outlets, including PragerU, The Daily Wire, and Fox News, are criticized for promoting climate denial. The article also mentions various religious and media personalities who link extreme weather events to biblical prophecy and divine judgment, rejecting scientific explanations for climate change.

A network of Gen Z influencers under the nonprofit Today is America is spreading right-wing ideology online, particularly on Instagram and TikTok. The organization, founded by Liam and Cam Rafizadeh, is linked to extreme far-right groups and promotes false claims and conspiracy theories. Today is America supports over 320 influencers, many of whom have connections to other right-wing groups like Turning Point USA and PragerU. The organization has deep ties with far-right extremists, including white nationalist Nick Fuentes and the America First movement. The text presents a critical view of Today is America and its activities, highlighting its role in promoting far-right extremism and misinformation.

A network of inauthentic TikTok accounts is using stolen videos and deepfakes to promote transphobic and racist sentiments under the guise of 'transracialism.' These accounts often feature profile pictures of figures like Oli London and Rachel Dolezal and use AI-generated faces to create deceptive videos. Despite TikTok's guidelines against such content, the platform has been criticized for not doing enough to prevent this behavior, leading to the harassment of innocent users and the spread of harmful narratives.

Users are exploiting TikTok’s Creativity Program to produce viral AI-generated conspiracy theory content for profit. These videos, featuring AI-generated voices and images, make baseless claims about mythical creatures and advanced ancient civilizations. Accounts like 'forbiddencombo' and its Spanish counterpart 'prohibidocombo' have amassed millions of views. The content is financially incentivized by TikTok's program, which pays for videos over 60 seconds long. Despite TikTok's guidelines against misleading content, these videos thrive due to their high engagement rates. The article warns of the potential dangers of such content, especially as the election year approaches.

In April 2023, a concerning trend called 'gnome hunting' emerged on TikTok, which, while appearing harmless, was steeped in antisemitism. The trend used gnomes as coded references to Jewish people, and 'gnome hunting' referred to hunting for Jews. This trend followed other antisemitic dog whistles like #thenoticing and the echo. The article explains how far-right groups use dog whistles to evade content moderation and spread harmful ideologies. The gnome hunting trend included overtly neo-Nazi and antisemitic content, such as the phrase 'millions wear the hats,' neo-Nazi insignia, and antisemitic hashtags. The trend also had ties to other extremist social media trends like 'schizowave.' The article concludes by urging social media companies like TikTok to be more vigilant in mitigating such trends before they become mainstream.

The article exposes the misuse of an old TikTok audio to spread misinformation about mass deportations of undocumented immigrants in the United States. Factchequeado reveals that the audio, originally from a 2021 video by influencer Carlos Eduardo Espina, has been used in over 250 misleading TikTok videos since April 2023. The article emphasizes the importance of verifying the context of audio and images in social media content to avoid being misled. It also highlights past instances where TikTok audios were used to spread false information about the Russia-Ukraine invasion and COVID-19.

A conspiracy theory attributing climate change to Earth's magnetic field changes has gone viral on TikTok, fueled by Joe Rogan's podcast. The theory, based on the pseudoscientific book 'The Adam and Eve Story,' undermines scientific consensus on climate change, shifting blame from fossil fuels to natural cycles. Despite TikTok's new misinformation policy, the theory has gained traction, highlighting ongoing challenges in combating climate misinformation. The article criticizes Rogan and his guests for spreading climate denial and questions Spotify's role in platforming such content.

The 'National Rape Day' hoax, which first went viral on TikTok in April 2021, has resurfaced on the platform in 2023. The hoax, which falsely claims that large groups of men plan to commit mass sexual assaults on April 24, has caused widespread panic and misinformation. TikTok's recommendation algorithm has been criticized for its role in spreading the hoax, which capitalizes on legitimate fears of sexual violence and perpetuates harmful myths. The misinformation has led to real-world consequences, including an 11-year-old bringing knives to school for protection. Despite the lack of evidence supporting the hoax, it continues to gain traction on social media, with users discussing carrying weapons for self-defense.

TikTok's enforcement of its community guidelines against violent and extremist content is criticized for being inadequate, as evidenced by a viral video featuring neo-Nazi Paul Miller. Despite Media Matters' ongoing efforts to highlight these issues, TikTok has not effectively addressed the problem. The video in question, which has garnered significant engagement, showcases Miller, a convicted felon known for his racist and misogynist behavior, wearing Nazi symbols and using racial slurs.

The article argues against the proposed ban on TikTok in the U.S., emphasizing that such a move would disproportionately harm marginalized communities who rely on the platform for communication and activism. The author, Abbie Richards, a TikTok misinformation researcher and content creator, highlights the platform's role in democratizing content creation and facilitating virtual activism. While acknowledging privacy concerns related to TikTok's Chinese ownership, Richards advocates for comprehensive digital privacy regulations that apply to all social media platforms, not just TikTok. The article underscores the importance of maintaining TikTok as a vital communication tool for young people, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people of color.

Over 180 Russian TikTok influencers are participating in a coordinated propaganda campaign promoting the invasion of Ukraine, using the hashtag 'Russian Lives Matter' and various trends to support the war effort. Media Matters identified 197 videos from 186 accounts, many of which had identical captions and in-video text, suggesting organization. The campaign includes trends like kneeling with 'Russian Lives Matter' signs, a dance forming the letter 'Z,' and memes claiming 'real women' support the war. This aligns with the Russian government's use of the 'Z' symbol to rally support. The article highlights the improbability of such widespread, identical participation without coordination, pointing to a concerted effort to influence public opinion on TikTok.

The article explores the 'pureblood' trend on TikTok, where unvaccinated individuals adopt the term to signify their unvaccinated status, drawing from fascist and supremacist ideologies. It highlights the contradictory narratives of vitality and victimhood among these users, who liken themselves to historical and literary figures while claiming persecution by the government. The analysis includes a detailed examination of hashtags and themes associated with the trend, revealing its deep ties to conservative and anti-vaccine sentiments. The article underscores the importance of recognizing fascist elements in mainstream social media content.

Advertisements promoting ADHD self-diagnosis and medication have surged on TikTok, potentially violating the platform's medical misinformation policy. TikTok is criticized for prioritizing profit over the safety of its young users by allowing companies like Cerebral and Done to promote misleading health claims. These ads capitalize on the trend of ADHD self-diagnosis on TikTok, which can lead to inappropriate medication use with dangerous side effects. Despite TikTok removing some ads, similar ones continue to appear, raising concerns about the platform's role in spreading medical misinformation.

The article examines the presence and spread of white supremacist and militant accelerationist content on TikTok, particularly in the wake of the Buffalo shooting. It highlights the challenges TikTok faces in moderating such content due to its rapid user growth and young user base. The platform's recommendation algorithm is criticized for amplifying extremist narratives, and specific examples, such as the case of Paul Miller, are discussed. The article also explores how extremist content on TikTok often originates from less regulated platforms and is sanitized for mainstream appeal. The need for more research into the effects of short-form video content on radicalization and greater transparency from TikTok is emphasized.

The article argues that golf is environmentally and socially destructive, wasting vast amounts of land and water that could be used for more beneficial purposes. It criticizes the sport for its excessive use of resources, contribution to environmental degradation, and its role as a status symbol for the wealthy. The author calls for society to move past golf, highlighting its negative impact on ecosystems and the inequity it represents.

A viral hoax on TikTok warning of a nationwide school shooting day on December 17 caused mass panic, exacerbated by the platform's inconsistent moderation and sensationalized media reporting. Despite TikTok's claims of working with law enforcement and its community guidelines against misinformation, the platform failed to preemptively address the hoax, leading to widespread fear and school closures. Media outlets, including CNN and Fox News, are criticized for their negligent reporting, which validated the unfounded threat and contributed to the panic. This incident mirrors a previous hoax about a nonexistent 'National Rape Day,' highlighting the real-world consequences of spreading fear-based misinformation.

Conspiracy theories linking the Astroworld Festival tragedy to satanic rituals are gaining traction on TikTok, despite being debunked. These theories exploit fear and often contain antisemitic elements, reminiscent of the 1980s satanic panic. The festival, headlined by Travis Scott, saw a deadly crowd surge, leading to multiple casualties. TikTok's algorithm is criticized for promoting these misleading videos, which are achieving unprecedented virality. The platform's failure to moderate such content is highlighted, with comparisons made to the viewership of top influencers like Charli D’Amelio.

TikTok's algorithm is criticized for leading users from transphobic content to far-right extremism, including racist and white supremacist videos. The platform's unique combination of audio, video, and text is used to create and spread hateful content. Engaging with anti-trans content alone can turn a user's feed into a hub of extremism, hatred, and violence. The study reviewed 360 videos, revealing a significant presence of transphobic, homophobic, misogynistic, and racist content, often intertwined. TikTok's rapid content delivery system is highlighted as a factor in the quick radicalization of users.

TikTok's algorithm is reportedly promoting COVID-19 and vaccine misinformation through personalized content recommendations, allowing conspiracy theories and medical misinformation to thrive. Despite TikTok's claims of combating misinformation and partnering with the World Health Organization to provide accurate information, the platform's algorithm continues to circulate dangerous lies about COVID-19 and vaccines. Media Matters' investigation found that engaging with anti-vaccination content led to an increase in similar misinformation videos on the 'For You' page, highlighting the platform's ongoing struggle to control misinformation since the pandemic began.

The article discusses the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on a British couple, Rachel and Philip, highlighting Philip's descent into the QAnon conspiracy theory during the pandemic. Initially, Philip's skepticism about the government's handling of the virus led him to believe in a sinister plot, which he researched on Facebook. The platform's recommendation algorithms connected him with like-minded individuals, leading to his radicalization. Facebook's role in spreading misinformation is examined, with the company's efforts to combat it through partnerships with fact-checking organizations like Full Fact. The article also touches on the broader issue of misinformation online, the challenges of defining and combating it, and the psychological appeal of conspiracy theories. It concludes with Rachel's personal struggle to help her husband disengage from QAnon, emphasizing the importance of kindness and understanding in addressing such beliefs.