Violent AI veg on TikTok 'could radicalise children'

AI-generated videos of fruits and vegetables committing violent acts are spreading extremist ideologies on TikTok, researchers have warned. These clips, which feature cute and Pixar-like animations, are able to bypass TikTok's moderation policies that prohibit extreme violent material, according to the Global Network on Extremism and Technology (GNET).

The content, which draws from extremist groups like the Islamic State (IS) and neo-Nazi organizations, can radicalize young people by normalizing cruelty and dehumanizing imagery. The researchers noted that these videos use guns and axes, and one depicts a carrot exploding a potato, mirroring an ISIS video. They also found accounts that reference the extremist group Atomwaffen Division and the nihilistic violence subculture No Lives Matter.

Comments on these videos contain extreme right-wing ideology, with one post using the phrase "potato supremacy" to refer to white supremacy. The researchers concluded that AI-generated platforms are crucial in creating viral content, including violent and extremist content, and that these food violence clips are easily accessible and designed to trap users in the cycle of online radicalization.