FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The social network TikTok has played an important role in shaping political narratives during the parliamentary elections in Kosovo - held on February 9 - especially considering that it is the most used platform in the country, according to several estimates made in a report compiled by the Brussels-based non-governmental organization, the Balkan Free Media Initiative (BFMI) and the Bulgarian media monitoring company, Sensika Technologies.
The report's findings were presented to the European Parliament on Tuesday.
The report, seen by Radio Free Europe, analyzes manipulations on the Chinese platform TikTok during recent elections in Kosovo, Romania, and Bulgaria.
He has found evidence of algorithmic manipulation in Kosovo during the February 2025 election period, similar to some elements observed in Romania and Bulgaria.
The manipulation method includes the "Fire Hose" tactic of mass posting and commenting, synchronization, and hashtag hijacking, according to the report.
“Official accounts of parties and leaders are in fact the main channels of online narratives, which are then amplified through inauthentic networks or by real influencers and supporters who manage ‘thematic accounts’ (or a combination of both, to maximize algorithmic reach) ,” the report states.
The authors found that key political figures appear prominently across the platform, often indirectly benefiting from coordinated amplification efforts.
As in Romania and Bulgaria, the report says, the content created by these networks is designed to gain mass attention and go viral.
“Non-political, sports and entertainment content is often mixed with political messages to personalize and present party leaders to new audiences and other key voter demographics, or to discredit opponents ,” according to the report.
Most of the documented activities were focused on the ruling party, the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV), and its leader, Albin Kurti.
For example, the incumbent Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, was mentioned the most in hashtags (#) or 16,582 times, according to the report.
His party, LVV, was mentioned 2,218 times.
Of the other parties, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) was mentioned the most, 6,161 times, while the Democratic Party of Kosovo 3,310 times.
According to the findings, all major Kosovar parties have an active presence on TikTok, even though the platform is officially banned in state institutions for cybersecurity reasons.
TikTok has been blocked since June 28, 2024 on all official networks and devices of state institutions, requiring politicians to remove the app from any device they use in an official capacity.
However, the ban does not apply to personal networks and devices, leaving the possibility of some online engagement.
"The spikes in coordinated activity, particularly on or around February 8–10, indicate an orchestrated effort to influence online sentiment and visibility during a key political period ," the report said./ REL
Lini një Përgjigje