TikTok could decide the next Philippine President
TikTok is a cesspool for smear campaigns and misinformation (Photo: Solen Feyissa via Unsplash)
TikTok is the No. 1 most downloaded app in the world, and the Philippines has 36 million TikTok users aged 18 and above, making us the 7th country with the most users on the app— and this makes it especially scary since TikTok has become the most recent breeding ground for misinformation.
TikTok is a fast-paced platform, where anything can go viral in a matter of seconds, from funny clips and dance challenges to more serious matters like real world news and information. The platform has shaped world-changing matters like the most recent US election, COVID-19, the Russia-Ukraine war, and here in the Philippines, the ongoing campaign period for the 2022 National Elections.
The continued proliferation of political content on TikTok has become an interesting topic of discussion among scholars in the past few years. The platform, whether it intended to or not, has become a venue for ideological formation and political activism— which goes to show that it’s not all bad. There’s no denying that TikTok has been instrumental to pushing movements to the forefront of online conversations, and have made some real, impactful changes in people’s lives.
But — and there is a big but — TikTok has enabled and even encouraged some not-so-good things as well, like fake news, misinformation, and trolling. And unfortunately, it could very well change the course of the 2022 Philippine Elections.
A cesspool of trolls
Last week, Aika Robredo, daughter of Presidential Candidate VP Robredo, sought the help of NBI after a “sudden surge of posts in blogs, porn sites, and social media platforms” about a fake sex video. Allegedly, Presidential Candidate Bongbong Marcos’ team is behind this smear campaign.
This isn't the first time BBM’s team and his supporters have been linked to misinformation campaigns on social media.
For instance, earlier this month, Senatorial bet from VP Robredo’s slate Alex Lacson filed a complaint before TikTok management for a spliced and edited video that showed him saying slanderous things about Robredo at one of her rallies. Notably, the video was also edited to make it seem as if the crowd was chanting “BBM” when the crowd was asked who their president was.
And TikTok is oozing with BBM content. The Inquirer monitored political activity on Tiktok between Feb 25-March 25, and found that Marcos’ most viewed hashtag, #BBM, recorded a whopping 6.2 billion views in five weeks, and #BBM2022 recorded 1.5 billion views. BBM’s supporters on TikTok have been criticized for whitewashing the Marcoses’ atrocities, painting them as a likable and relatable family.
In contrast, Marcos’ main competitor, VP Robredo’s most viewed hashtag #lenirobredo hit the billionth view only after four weeks of monitoring. Other hashtags related to Robredo ranged from 2 million views to 148.7 million. Much of the content about Robredo on TikTok comes from her critics, who splice together clips of her speeches to make her seem unintelligent and “lutang.”
This is how trolls are manipulating the narrative. They use TikTok’s fast-paced, bite-sized form of content, and the algorithm to their advantage. They’re experts at cross-posting and coordinating, maximizing their reach so they can have their lies reach as many people as possible.
Trolls spread unchecked information with little to no consequences— and it’s fine if it’s something as stupid as evidence of the Mandela Effect in a Britney Spears music video from 2000, but with something as big as the next four years of our lives at stake? Definitely not.
