Meta paid Republican firm to launch smear campaign against TikTok: report

Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, reportedly paid Republican-linked consulting firm Targeted Victory to run a smear campaign against TikTok.

A report in The Washington Post revealed a series of emails, some written by the director of the firm, stressing the need to ‘get the message out that while Meta is the current punching bag TikTok is the real threat.”

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Meta's anti-TikTok campaign

Other mails spoke about how campaign operatives promoted unsubstantiated claims to local media, tying TikTok to allegedly dangerous trends, even if they had originated on Facebook.

Campaign operatives also discussed using anti-TikTok messaging to deflect criticism hurled upon Meta, including that by US Congress.

When reached for comment, a TikTok representative told the Post that the company was deeply concerned about these reports. A Meta representative told the Post that the company believes all platforms should face a level of scrutiny.