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TikTok takes action against false information and artificial intelligence deception in preparation for the upcoming EU election.
Europe Technology

TikTok takes action against false information and artificial intelligence deception in preparation for the upcoming EU election.

According to a blog post on Wednesday, TikTok is implementing strategies to address false information regarding the upcoming European Union elections. This includes establishing fact-checking centers within the app.

TikTok intends to introduce in-app “election centers” for all 27 EU countries next month, allowing individuals to easily distinguish between truth and falsehoods in their local language.

In June, hundreds of millions of Europeans will vote for 720 members of the European Parliament, a process that occurs every five years. As more than 50 countries prepare for national elections in 2024, tech companies are increasing their efforts to prevent interference in the voting process. This includes using artificial intelligence to amplify the spread of false information and produce deepfake media.

TikTok, with a team of 6,000 employees dedicated to moderating content in EU languages, has acknowledged the potential rise of false information, hidden attempts at influence, and deceptive material created by artificial intelligence during the election season.

TikTok said videos related to the EU elections will be labeled to direct people to their country’s in-app election center. These hubs will, with the help of local electoral commissions and civil society groups, provide “trusted and authoritative information” about the vote, said TikTok’s head of safety and integrity for EMEA, Kevin Morgan.

The European Union election centers are based on previous projects completed by the company for national elections in Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, and Spain.

TikTok, which is owned by ByteDance of China, has 134 million users in Europe. According to Morgan, a significant number of European officials, including approximately one-third of EU lawmakers, are active on the app.

The corporation will establish a specialized “mission control” for the elections at its European headquarters in Dublin, which will be staffed by experts from its trust and safety division.

Source: voanews.com