Confusing Google predictions and unbalanced politics on TikTok and Instagram
CrossOver Finland analysis found politically unbalanced content on TikTok and Instagram alongside confusing Google search predictions ahead of the 2024 elections.
Executive summary
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As part of the CrossOver Finland monitoring project, researchers deployed data-collection devices across the country to track how YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Google Search, Google News, Mastodon, Bing, and DuckDuckGo behaved during the 2024 Finnish presidential campaign, comparing results and recommendations across platforms and locations.
The study found Google News mixed articles from news outlets, party channels, and opinion sites without clearly labeling their origin, and that search predictions for candidates' names were removed partway through the campaign; results also differed markedly between searches conducted inside and outside Finland, and some searches surfaced misleading fraud-related suggestions tied to a far-right party. On TikTok, an anonymous pro-far-right account substantially outperformed official candidate accounts in visibility, while Instagram showed heavy, keyword-driven activity from left-wing and Green Party accounts alongside a strong presence of news media.
The report concludes that the platforms examined remain lacking in transparency and accountability, warranting continued scrutiny through future election cycles.
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