A BBC investigation reveals how young voters in crucial election battlegrounds are being targeted with AI-generated fake videos, misinformation, and abusive content on TikTok, including false claims about prominent politicians like Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer.
Young voters in key election battlegrounds are encountering AI-generated fake videos, misinformation, and clips with abusive comments on TikTok, according to a BBC investigation. These include false claims about Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer, such as rumors of a scandal forcing Sunak to call an early election and baseless associations of Starmer with the failure to prosecute Jimmy Savile. Some AI-generated videos and satirical deepfakes are misleading users about party leaders’ statements and policies.
As part of the BBC’s Undercover Voters project, fictional profiles were created to analyze content recommended by algorithms. These profiles represented various voter types in battleground constituencies, including Bishop Auckland. TikTok emerged as the platform with the most dynamic political conversations, often presenting young users with divisive or misleading information.
Some amateur content creators, including teenagers, produced viral political satire videos without affiliations to any political parties. TikTok claimed to have increased investments to combat misinformation, employing fact-checking experts and AI-labelling technology. Despite these measures, videos promoting false narratives and abusive remarks still appeared frequently on the platform.
The BBC project highlighted the influential role TikTok may play in shaping electoral narratives, with the platform being a significant news source for many young users.
