TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is under scrutiny for its impact on American society. A recent Media Intelligence Group report highlights concerns regarding the platform's association with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its influence on Americans.

• The MIG report underlines a predominantly negative sentiment among Americans toward TikTok and its alignment with China.
• The data suggests many Americans believe the platform may be fostering the spread of woke ideologies they call the “woke mind virus.”
• Some believe leftist propaganda, particularly among younger generations, is shaping views on important issues like abortion, Ukraine, China, and Israel.
• Americans are growing increasingly apprehensive about TikTok's potential to influence political views, shaping public opinion that contradicts Western and American values.

Overall sentiment toward China in the last two weeks has hovered in the mid to low 40% range.

What Americans are Saying

MIG data reveals that Americans have multiple concerns about TikTok and China influence.

TikTok Concerns

• There are overall concerns about TikTok being controlled by a Chinese company and potentially being influenced by the CCP.
• Belief that TikTok’s ubiquity was intentional in the CCP’s strategic economic and ideological competition with America.
• There is a general sentiment that 'woke' culture and leftist ideologies are being spread and propagated by TikTok.
• Belief that Gen Z are particularly at risk of influence by social platforms like TikTok.
• Some express concern that TikTok could be playing a role in shaping perceptions specifically in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
• Concerns about the CCP's potential to economically and financially ruin the West.
• Fears of further infiltration, influence, and the propagation of ideologies that are seen as detrimental to American values.

Bipartisan Agreement About TikTok Propaganda

In recent comments, former president Obama expressed concerns that TikTok influencers were shaping perceptions about the Israel conflict saying, “The problem with the social media and trying — TikTok activism, and trying to debate this on that — is you can’t speak the truth.”

• Republicans seem to agree with the sentiment that TikTok activism is largely negative.
• But while Democrats and Republicans agree that misinformation and propaganda are an issue, they disagree about which narratives and ideologies are untrue.
• The data suggestions many Americans believe Democrats are not consistent in their foreign policy, particularly with regards to Ukraine and Israel.
• Those on the right are quite negative toward Democrats, accusing them of hypocrisy, spreading the "woke mind virus," and being responsible for societal problems.
• Left-leaning Americans, however, say Republicans are spreading oppression by supporting Israel in an ethnic cleansing operation and killing many civilians.

In the last two weeks, online sentiment toward Israel was low, dipping below 40% on most days with a low of 37%. Some commenters express concern that online ideological influence is a key driver of overall sentiment toward Israel.

Possible Congressional Investigations

• Concerns about TikTok's role in shaping public perceptions have been highlighted by the ongoing discussions of international conflicts, especially Israel and Hamas.
• This negative perception of TikTok, in connection with the CCP, has raised calls for congressional investigations.
• The potential for congressional investigations would likely intensify apprehensions and may significantly affect the platform's reputation and public perception.

Overall Media Influence

In addition to negative views of social platforms like TikTok, there are also negative sentiments toward media in general, including news and online platforms.

Pro-Palestine Activists

• Many pro-Palestine activists feel the wider media, outside of TikTok, is not accurately portraying the Israel situation, but instead favoring Israel.
• Activists involved in online discussions regarding the #freepalestine movement accuse the media of failing to report on what they believe to be atrocities and war crimes.
• They also suggest that the media is suppressing the voices of Palestinians and their supporters.
• Many are critical of the US government, accusing it of complicity due to its financial aid to Israel.

Conservative Censorship Complaints

• On the right, there is frustration with perceived bias in mainstream media coverage that unfairly vilifies Israel.
• There is a sense of dissatisfaction with the media, with some people accusing it of being a mouthpiece for leftist political ideologies.
• Many conservatives argue that big tech platforms and media organizations censor right-leaning ideologies.
• There is a perceived lack of coverage on issues like the origins Covid-19 and the role of the CCP in global affairs.

A common thread in the discussion on both sides is the notion of 'the other side' controlling the narrative.