TikTok inundated with conspiracy theories about asteroids, wendigos, monsters, and vampires linked to Artificial Intelligence

According to researchers, TikTok users are spreading bizarre conspiracy theories about the end of the world, ranging from asteroids to mythical creatures like vampires and wendigos. The trend, highlighted by the nonprofit Media Matters, involves users creating viral videos with unfounded claims about the US government capturing or preserving these monsters, including the absurd suggestion of King Kong being involved. This misinformation trend adds to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the fate of TikTok in the United States.

It’s the latest example of misinformation swirling on the platform — a stubborn issue that has been largely absent from recent policy debates as U.S. lawmakers consider banning the Chinese-owned app on national security grounds.

Often accompanied by eerie background music, the videos – many of which rack up millions of views – feature massive AI-generated voices that sometimes mimic celebrities.

“We’re all probably going to die in the next few years. Did you hear about this?” said a voice impersonating podcaster Joe Rogan in one viral video.

“This asteroid is on a collision course with Earth,” the voice claims, referring to information leaked by a government official who came across a folder titled “Keep Secret From Public.”

At least one account selling the video appeared to have been deactivated when AFP reached out to TikTok for comment.

“Very engaging”

Conspiracy theory videos, often posted by anonymous accounts, typically had telltale signs of AI-generated images, such as extra fingers and distortions, said TikTok disinformation researcher Abbie Richards.

Trading such theories can be financially rewarding, Richards said, with TikTok’s “Creativity Program” designed to pay creators for content produced on the platform.

It’s spawned what he calls a cottage industry of conspiracy theory videos using AI tools, including text-to-speech apps that are widely — and freely — available online.

A TikTok spokesperson insisted that “conspiracy theories cannot be monetized or recommended” in users’ feeds.

Still, tutorials on platforms like YouTube show users how to create “viral conspiracy theory videos” and benefit from TikTok’s creativity program.

One such tutorial openly encouraged users to come up with “something outrageous”, such as “scientists just got caught hiding saber teeth”.

“Financially incentivized content that is both highly engaging and cheap to produce creates the environment for conspiracy theories to thrive,” Richards wrote in a Media Matters report.

The threat of artificial intelligence

Such concerns, stemming from the rapid development of artificial intelligence, are particularly large in a year of major elections around the world.

Last week, the European Union used the powerful Digital Services Act (DSA) to press several platforms, including TikTok, about the risks of artificial intelligence — including deep-faking — for upcoming elections in the 27-nation bloc.

In the United States, where the app has about 170 million users, or about half the country’s population, last week lawmakers overwhelmingly backed a bill to ban TikTok unless its Chinese parent ByteDance sells itself within six months.

The bill, which still needs to be approved by the more cautious upper house of the US Congress, threatens to upset young voters in an important election year.

U.S. policymakers have repeatedly expressed concerns about TikTok’s alleged ties to the Chinese government, the security of user data, and its apparent impact on national security.

According to a report by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Chinese government is using TikTok to expand its global influence, promote pro-Beijing stories and undermine US democracy, including through disinformation.

“Disinformation should be part of the conversation about TikTok,” University of Virginia media studies professor Aynne Kokas told AFP.

However, many experts, as well as young users who rely on the app as their primary source of news, oppose TikTok’s ban, saying it’s unfair to single out the platform.

“There is a lot of misinformation on TikTok, just like on other social media platforms. Some of this misinformation is dangerous,” Jameel Jaffer, director of Columbia University’s Knight First Edition Institute, told AFP.

“(But) giving the government the power to suppress misinformation — or to ban Americans from using platforms that contain misinformation — is not a reasonable response to this problem. Nor would it be constitutional,” he added.