On a second attempt, TikTok and YouTube pass test to detect US election disinformation ads
In a follow-up test both platforms caught and rejected the resubmitted disinformation ads, showing improvement over the earlier failure.
Executive summary
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Global Witness followed up on an earlier failed test by resubmitting a set of ads to TikTok and YouTube containing outright false election information, such as claims that voting could be done online, and content threatening electoral workers. The ads were rendered in "algospeak" — using numbers and symbols in place of letters — to mimic tactics real bad actors might use to evade moderation filters.
On this second attempt, both platforms caught and rejected the disinformation ads, a marked improvement over their earlier failure to detect similar content. YouTube was noted as requiring additional identity verification, such as a passport or driver's license, before it would publish any ads, adding a further barrier beyond content review alone.
Global Witness framed the result as evidence that repeated, public testing by independent investigators can drive real improvements in platform enforcement, while cautioning that the same platforms had failed comparable tests in other elections (including India and Ireland), suggesting the improvement was not necessarily consistent across markets.
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