An analysis conducted by Forbes reveals that TikTok has inundated millions of Europeans with ads from Chinese state propaganda outlets, covering topics such as COVID-19 and tourism in the contentious Xinjiang region.
These ads mirror the messages promoted by China’s state media, presenting Xinjiang as an attractive tourist destination with cute cats frolicking on the Great Wall of China, which extends into the troubled region.
However, amidst these advertisements, it is crucial to acknowledge the disturbing reality of China’s Xinjiang region, where over a million Muslim Uyghurs have reportedly been arrested and detained.
In addition to tourism-related content, TikTok has also featured political ads, including one where a vlogger accused Western media of fabricating lies about the Chinese government’s human rights abuses. Another set of ads centered around an academic criticizing US and European opposition to China’s Belt and Road Initiative—a massive global infrastructure project aimed at establishing transportation and energy links between China, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Forbes’ analysis indicates that more than 1,000 ads from Chinese state media outlets have been displayed on European users’ TikTok feeds since October 2022. These advertisements originated from platforms such as The People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee, and CGTN, a Beijing-based television network controlled by the same committee. The presence of such state-sponsored content raises concerns about the influence and reach of Chinese propaganda on social media platforms.
