Social Media Giants Struggle with Russian Influence Campaign

Despite U.S. authorities' allegations against RT employees for influencing the 2024 presidential election, over 400 TikTok posts and thousands of other social media contents by Tenet Media remain accessible. Only YouTube has taken action, while other platforms stay silent. The complexity of moderating genuine U.S. conservative personalities complicates the matter.

NEW YORK, Sept 6 - Despite allegations by U.S. authorities against two employees of Russian state network RT for coordinating an influence campaign targeting the 2024 presidential election, more than 400 posts by Tenet Media remain on TikTok, along with thousands on other platforms, a Reuters review reveals.

To date, only YouTube has acted, removing Tenet Media's main channel and four others operated by owner Lauren Chen. Other platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, have not clarified their next steps. This inaction highlights the complexity and novelty of dealing with such campaigns.

As Russia increasingly uses unwitting American social media influencers, the incident reflects a digital twist to Cold War-era tactics, complicating efforts to moderate content and making social media companies cautious in setting precedents impacting legitimate speech.

(With inputs from agencies.)