June 8, 2022

"TikTok has been remarkably clear that partisan and political ads—and these are ads, in that people are being paid to promote something on behalf of a third party—are not OK..."

"... issuing a statement in October 2019, that read, in part, '[W]e will not allow paid ads that promote or oppose a candidate, current leader, political party or group, or issue at the federal, state, or local level—including election-related ads, advocacy ads, or issue ads.'... Even as progressive and Democratic-aligned organizations are increasingly interested in fighting 'disinformation,' progressive and Democratic-aligned organizations are employing strategies, like covert paid ad campaigns, that would presumably be found distasteful or immoral—or described as disinformation—if utilized by someone from across the aisle.... In a statement, a spokesperson for TikTok told us, '... Political discourse is allowed as long as it complies with our community guidelines and is organic content, meaning there is no sponsorship or paid promotion behind it.'"

From "A PR Firm Is Paying TikTok Influencers to Promote Liberal Causes and Hype Democrats’ Middling Accomplishments/Vocal Media “recruits, trains, and pays influencers” to promote liberal causes on TikTok. It’s easy to see how less-benign actors could use their model" (Vice). 

Where is the line between advertising and political speech? And how does that question relate to the concept "organic content"?

The TikTok statement defines "organic content" as content with "no sponsorship or paid promotion behind it." But is that precise? Here's a recent Forbes article, "The Differences Between Paid And Organic Content On Social Media"

Organic social media content is any free content shared on social media profiles including posts, videos, stories and more....

That doesn't seem to say anything about whether the content-provider is receiving money. It seems to be about whether the platform is getting paid. Of course, TikTok can have its own policy on whether content-providers can receive money, and it can give a distinctive meaning to a term for the purpose of its own rules. (I mean, bees can be fish. That's not hard to understand!)

Some great examples of organic content include: • Testimonials/reviews. • Meet the team posts. • Real-life examples of how your product and/or service is used. • Relatable information. • How-to guides (bonus points if you turn it into a fun video).... 

[O]rganic content should include posts that make people want to interact and share... Remember that organic content should help you establish and grow your brand voice and connect with existing customers, and paid content should be designed to precisely target your ideal audience and reach the masses. Rather than posting just to post, if you can create a balanced strategy and maintain social media pages that truly represent your brand well, you’ll continue to reap the benefits of social media marketing and stand out from your competition.

TikTok is having content-providers who are promoting a brand other than their own. But why is that a problem?

22 comments:

Owen said...

“… defines "organic content" as content with "no sponsorship or paid promotion behind it." But is that precise?”

It’s about as precise as you’re going to get. Which is to say, not at all. Even I, unskilled at this very lucrative game of political messaging, could drive a semi through that definition. What is “behind” a message? How many removes of behind-ness before it is a mere background noise? How much “paid” promotion or sponsorship? Of what nature: money, mutual favors, future position for oneself or one’s college roommate’s cousin’s girlfriend? Actual payment or merely the hope for same? Over what time span relative to the messaging? Who decides? What evidence is competent? What right of notice, appeal or review?

This policy is more self-pleasing nonsense.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

You mean - Democrats act like the very Russian bots they decry?

No way!

gilbar said...

A PR Firm Is Paying TikTok Influencers to Promote Liberal Causes and Hype Democrats’ Middling Accomplishments/Vocal Media “recruits, trains, and pays influencers” to promote liberal causes on TikTok. It’s easy to see how less-benign actors could use their model"

less-benign? LESS-BENIGN?? And, HOW; exactly COULD you be less-benign? Oh that's right? Be right-wing

DanTheMan said...

>> Democrats middling accomplishments

Gas has doubled, food prices are skyrocketing, millions of illegals have entered the country, homicide rates are way up, we've gone from net oil exporter to oil importer, we've given billions of high tech weaponry to the Taliban, and are doing what we can to provoke war with both Russia and China at the same time.

There's nothing "middling" about those accomplishments.

Michael said...

How much "less-benign" could other "actors" be? As opposed to paid Progressive shills.

wendybar said...

Well, what do you expect from a party that is owned by CHINA??

mikee said...

Organic content? Like the cow shit in compost?

Greg The Class Traitor said...

'[W]e will not allow paid ads that promote or oppose a candidate, current leader, political party or group, or issue at the federal, state, or local level—including election-related ads, advocacy ads, or issue ads.'... Even as progressive and Democratic-aligned organizations are increasingly interested in fighting 'disinformation,' progressive and Democratic-aligned organizations are employing strategies, like covert paid ad campaigns, that would presumably be found distasteful or immoral—or described as disinformation—if utilized by someone from across the aisle.... In a statement, a spokesperson for TikTok told us, '... Political discourse is allowed as long as it complies with our community guidelines and is organic content, meaning there is no sponsorship or paid promotion behind it.'"

That's a big pile of BS verbiage. Let me tl;dr: it

1: TikTok will not allow Republican candidates / groups to advertise on TikTok
2: TikTok will kick off / censor any individual Republicans / Conservatives who successfully push their beliefs on TikTok
3: TikTok will ignore Democrats / the Left using TikTok to push their political beliefs

Any questions?

Mike Sylwester said...

I embed a lot of TikTok videos on my Dirty Dancing blog. I find all of them on YouTube.

A few months ago, YouTube began to enable a video type that is called Shorts.

Shorts videos are similar to TikTok videos in that they are no longer than one minute.

However, there are two differences:

1) Shorts videos earn money conveniently from YouTube.

2) I cannot figure out how to embed a Shorts video on my Blogger website.

I regularly search YouTube for new videos related to the movie Dirty Dancing, and I see more and more Shorts videos that I cannot embed on my blog.

Drago said...

"Where is the line between advertising and political speech?"

Easy.

If a democratical does it, its cool and fantastic. If a republican does it its malignant and evil and worthy of suppression.

See; Cambridge Analytica.

"And how does that question relate to the concept "organic content"?"

See answer above.

tim in vermont said...

Who is "less benign" than a Democrat?

tim in vermont said...

America knows all about Joe Burden's accomplishments, we just don't like them.

tommyesq said...

Who is this "PR Firm?" Who is funding this "PR Firm?" China? Russia?? Soros???

Lurker21 said...

Why hire TikTokkers when the mainstream media will to it for free?

Jupiter said...

You are aware, aren't you, that TikTok belongs to the Chinese Communist Party? Maybe for today's selection of clever little TikTok vignettes, you can find something from a Uighur concentration camp. I'm sure the Uighurs are capable of some charming drollery. Maybe they can do a little dance as their organs are harvested?

Leland said...

Wow. That's their stated position? I just went to TikTok and their leading hash tag trend is #MemorialDay. I support the idea of recognizing those that gave their lives so that we can have ours, but I also recognize that is a political and partisan position. Their are people that hate the military and don't care that some made a sacrifice for them. The celebration of Memorial Day is about as organic as celebrating Father's Day, Mother's Day, or Pride Month. Actually, a bit less, as Memorial Day is a federal and state recognized holiday.

Howard said...

Keep the angst dialed to eleven or else you won't be able to regurgitate your own bile.

JaimeRoberto said...

To be fair, BS is organic.

Narr said...

WTF is "Relatable information" anyway? Just another phrase that means whatever they want it to mean, of course.

As for TikKrok, I know organic content when I smell it.

gilbar said...

Jupiter said...
find something from a Uighur concentration camp. I'm sure the Uighurs are capable of some charming drollery.

i did a google search on "TikTok Uighur", found THIS (on You Tube)
A US teenager whose TikTok video about the detention of Uyghur Muslims in China went viral says her account had been blocked by the Chinese-owned social network.

Clyde said...

“Benign”? Assumes facts not in evidence.

realestateacct said...

"A PR Firm Is Paying TikTok Influencers to Promote Liberal Causes and Hype Democrats’ Middling Accomplishments/Vocal Media “recruits, trains, and pays influencers” to promote liberal causes on TikTok. It’s easy to see how less-benign actors could use their model" (Vice).

Who could be less benign than a Liberal? Wouldn't want to have some child of a teenage mom talking about abortion now, would we? That would be hateful.

I had assumed that a lot of TikTok influencers were being paid to promote products. Are there disclosure rules? Is that not the case? Why not let them to be paid to promote ideas? Why wouldn't political consultants train people to make effective TikToks, Tweets and speeches?