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Network Contagion Research Institute Intelligence Report 18 (see Figure 12). In sum, TikTok engagement metadata analysis shows that despite TikTok search algorithm’s tendency to amplify pro-China content and suppress anti-China content: ● ● Anti-China content engenders significantly higher user engagement than pro-China content. Apolitical (i.e., coded as irrelevant) clickbait receives the overall highest engagement for all categories measured. Analysis of engagement metadata for YouTube and Instagram yielded higher average likes and views (YouTube only) per video for anti-China content. As was observed on TikTok, “Tibet” remained an outlier on Instagram, and to a lesser extent, on YouTube. The results observed on YouTube show that a higher average number of likes and views were awarded to anti-China content across all search terms, the sole exception to this finding being 60K less views for antiChina content mentioning Tibet relative to pro-China content, as shown in the chart below. Also of note is that for “Tibet,” “Xinjiang,” and “Uyghur,” irrelevant content accrued a higher average of likes and views than either pro- or anti-China content. These findings parallel those observed on TikTok, and suggests that on video-centric platforms (YouTube & TikTok), generic clickbait content draws higher user engagement than politicized content. On Instagram, average likes for pro-China content mentioning Tibet were 1.8x higher than average likes awarded to anti-China content. That said, for the other three search terms analyzed (Tiananmen, Xinjiang, Uyghur), anti-China content received 2.8x, 40.8x, and 8.3x more average likes, respectively, than pro-China content. Though Instagram engagement metadata examined herein was limited to likes (as views for post data is not accessible), the overall results closely mirrored that observed on TikTok, i.e., anti-China content generally garners significantly higher user engagement than pro-China content. We found that though the ratio of average views per likes on TikTok was nearly twice as high for pro-China content (15.41 vs. 8.22), for three out of the four search terms, average views and likes were significantly higher for anti-China content. The key takeaway from this ratio is that despite the TikTok search algorithm's pro-China bias, users favored anti-China content with likes and views over pro-China content in three out of four keywords analyzed (see Appendix III). In terms of average views per like across all search terms for YouTube, pro-China content received a value of 44.69 whereas anti-China content received 39.16. As was the case for TikTok, pro-China content received a higher ratio of views per like than anti-China content, notwithstanding the fact that anti-China content received significantly higher total engagement nearly across the board.

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The CCP's Digital Charm Offensive: How TikTok's Search Algorithm and Pro-China Influence Networks Indoctrinate GenZ Users in the United States

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English

Topic

Information Operation

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Network Contagion Research Institute

Date Published: Aug 8, 2024

Abstract: In December 2023, the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) published an initial report that found a strong possibility of content on TikTok being either amplified or suppressed based on its alignment with the interests of the Chinese Government. The report concluded with a warning: “should future research find that TikTok users exhibit attitudes and assessments of world events aligned with these information distortions, democracies will need to consider appropriate countermeasures to protect information integrity and mitigate potential real-world impacts.” These findings underscored the urgency of investigating the specific mechanisms and broader implications of potential algorithmic manipulations. While our initial study shed light on the potential for content manipulation on TikTok, it did not explore whether specific moderation algorithms or practices are used to suppress topics sensitive to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Moreover, it did not compare the nature and impact of pro- and anti-CCP content across other major social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube. This current report addresses these gaps by providing a more comprehensive analysis of TikTok's moderation practices, examining the nature and prevalence of CCP-sensitive content, and evaluating how different platforms handle such content. Furthermore, this study explores the association between social media platform usage and pro-CCP attitudes among users. By combining user journey data, survey research, and cross-platform comparisons, we uncover the extent to which TikTok and other platforms may influence user perceptions and behaviors in favor of the CCP. The publication of this research precedes the delivery of oral arguments for TikTok Inc. and ByteDance Ltd. v. Merrick B. Garland, a federal court case that has subjected the TikTok algorithm to intensive new scrutiny. As detailed in the DOJ’s response to TikTok’s lawsuit, “covert content manipulation” is an area of legal interest for the DOJ, not to mention its relevance to the broader U.S. intelligence and national security community. That said, within the DOJ response it is noted that definitively proving covert content manipulation by the Chinese government remains a challenge. As FBI Director Wray testified to in multiple hearings, “[t]his sort of manipulation of the algorithm would be difficult to detect..."1 This research gap sets the stage for our findings, which, while not definitive proof of state orchestration, present compelling and strong circumstantial evidence of TikTok’s covert content manipulation. In response to the DOJ's acknowledgment of challenges in proving manipulation by the Chinese government, our findings present the following circumstantial evidence: • Algorithmic Bias: TikTok's algorithms consistently amplify pro-CCP content and suppress anti-CCP narratives. • Content Origination: Much of the pro-CCP content originates from state-linked entities, including media outlets and influencers. • Psychological Impact: Survey data shows significant shifts in user attitudes towards China, especially among heavy TikTok users, indicating successful indoctrination. These points collectively indicate a systematic manipulation of information, suggesting that propaganda produced by state actors and orchestrated through assets owned or influenced by them shapes user perceptions at a massive scale.

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The CCP's Digital Charm Offensive: How TikTok's Search Algorithm and Pro-China Influence Networks Indoctrinate GenZ Users in the United States

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