TikTok has announced it will prohibit Thai election candidates from purchasing advertisements or generating revenue from their content throughout the election campaign period. This measure, previously enforced as a general prohibition on political advertising and monetization, will now directly apply to all candidates participating in the February 8 elections.
The platform revealed on Thursday that it will collaborate with fact-checking organizations to authenticate political statements. In addition, TikTok’s dedicated moderation teams are set to remove both misinformation and disinformation from the platform. Officials at TikTok anticipate an increase in misleading materials, particularly AI-generated videos or content inciting hate or violence as Election Day draws near.
Any content that stirs hatred or spreads disinformation will be subject to removal, according to Siriprapa Weerachaising, TikTok’s outreach and partnership manager. She added that paid promotion of political content is strictly prohibited, applicable to both political parties and independent creators, including media outlets.
Thailand hosts about 50 million TikTok users, a figure approaching the country’s 53 million eligible voters. In the third quarter of last year, TikTok reported the removal of 4.4 million videos in Thailand for breaching its community guidelines, but it did not specify how many involved political material.
According to the Election Commission, candidates representing 57 political parties are competing for 500 seats in the House of Representatives, including 100 party-list spots.
