TikTok has a climate change denialism problem, a new report finds (exclusive)

TikTok, the popular social media app, has a problem with climate change denialism, according to a new report by Global Witness, an international NGO. The report found that comments denying the existence of climate change and its causes were allowed to remain on videos posted by major UK media outlets during the COP29 climate summit, despite TikTok’s guidelines prohibiting such misinformation.

Global Witness analyzed videos posted by the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4 News, which were seen by over three million people, and found comments that alleged climate change was a “hoax” and a “made-up lie.” The NGO reported 20 of these comments to TikTok using the app’s in-app reporting tool, but 19 of them were allowed to remain on the videos because content moderators said they had not infringed the app’s terms of service.

Ellen Judson, a climate disinformation investigator at Global Witness, praised TikTok for being one of the few social networks to have enacted a firm climate change policy, but noted that the company needs to do more to address the issue. “We thought users might be more likely to be seeking out information,” she said. “It can be a bit complicated, all the different climate policies and this, that, and the other.”

The report highlights a broader issue around climate change at TikTok, according to an unnamed employee in the company’s content moderation team. The employee told Global Witness that while there are symbolic gestures towards addressing climate change, there is nothing substantial or of real consequence being done by the company.

The NGO claims that the issue is emblematic of problems TikTok will continue to face as it replaces elements of its human moderation team with automated systems. At least a quarter of its 500-strong UK content moderation team was told they were at risk of layoffs in October, according to The Bureau for Investigative Journalism (TBIJ).

This is not the first time TikTok has failed to address climate misinformation on the app. A June 2023 BBC investigation found that TikTok only removed around 5% of content that violated its own guidelines when informed.

Judson says she would like to see changes to how TikTok and other social platforms operate. “I think increased transparency and public accountability around why certain effects are happening and what they’re doing in response specifically would be lovely,” she said.

The report’s findings are concerning, given the platform’s massive reach and influence. TikTok did not respond to Fast Company’s request for comment. It is imperative that social media platforms take responsibility for addressing climate misinformation and ensure that their policies are enforced effectively. The public deserves accurate information, and it is up to platforms like TikTok to provide it.