TikTok decided to work with PolitiFact to release a new feature that will combat the spread of misinformation on its platform, especially since there are unreliable contents about the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic and other major happenings taking place around the world.

TikTok to Flag Down Videos With Inclusive Fact Checks and Misleading Posts; It Now Collabs With PolitiFact
(Photo : Photo Illustration by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
In this photo illustration, comedian Sarah Cooper's page is displayed on the TikTok app is displayed on an Apple iPhone on August 7, 2020 in Washington, DC. On Thursday evening, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that bans any transactions between the parent company of TikTok, ByteDance, and U.S. citizens due to national security reasons. The president signed a separate executive order banning transactions with China-based tech company Tencent, which owns the app WeChat. Both orders are set to take effect in 45 days.

The popular social media platform said that it removes videos that are identified as spreaders of fake news and information, which are verified by fact-checking partners.

"We remove misinformation as we identify it and partner with fact-checkers at PolitiFact, Lead Stories, and SciVerify to help us assess the accuracy of content," said the company via TikTok News Room.

"If fact checks confirm content to be false, we'll remove the video from our platform. Sometimes fact checks are inconclusive or content is not able to be confirmed, especially during unfolding events," added TikTok.

TikTok's new plan

The videos that TikTok and PolitiFact ban will no longer be eligible for promotion into users' For You page. The giant social media platform said that the new feature will be launched first in Canada and the United States.

TikTok to Flag Down Videos With Inclusive Fact Checks and Misleading Posts; It Now Collabs With PolitiFact
(Photo : Photo Illustration by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 03: In this photo illustration, a mobile phone featuring the TikTok app is displayed next to the Microsoft logo on August 03, 2020 in New York City. Under threat of a U.S. ban on the popular social media app, it has been reported that Microsoft is considering taking over from Chinese firm ByteDance.

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TikTok added that they are also planning to make it available across the world in the coming weeks. On the other hand, both companies said that they will also flag down videos with inclusive fact checks since fact-checkers can't verify these kinds of contents quickly. These include unfolding events, that could lead to a surge of social media posts.

When it comes to the United States, TikTok is partnering with Lead Stories, PolitiFact's, SciVerify, which work to assess the accuracy of civic processes related content such as health, election, climate change, and more.

TikTok's international partners

According to Yahoo News' latest report, TikTok's international partners are Teyit, Newtral, Pagella Politica, Animal Político, Estadão Verifica, Lead Stories, Logically, Politifact, SciVerify, and Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The social media platform's internal investigation and moderation team work together to identify misinformation using available data. These include existing public fact checks.

For more news updates about TikTok and other popular social media platforms' innovations, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

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Written by: Giuliano de Leon.

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