TikTok is now labeling state-affiliated media in 40 new markets, the social media company said Wednesday. It’s an extension of a pilot program run in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine in 2022.
TikTok said its policy is to label accounts “whose editorial output or decision-making process is subject to control or influence by a government.” The policy will be expanded even further at a later date, the company said.
The move comes as TikTok faces growing scrutiny in the US, with several universities, states and the federal government considering or enacting bans against the app on some devices.
TikTok and its parent company ByteDance didn’t immediately confirm the list of countries affected but other outlets have reported that the United States, Canada, much of Europe, the United Kingdom and China are included.
More to come.