Wave of AI videos showing far-right protests in Europe spreads online

A collection of AI-generated videos depicting mass protests across Europe against immigration, the state of the country, and nationalist sentiments has been circulating on social media platforms, especially TikTok. These videos, which have been circulating over the past four months, have amassed millions of views and appear to have convinced many users of their authenticity. However, all of the protests featured in these videos are entirely fabricated, and the creators employ various tactics to deceive viewers.

For instance, some videos falsely attribute the footage to well-known journalists working for state-owned media outlets in various European countries, even going so far as to mimic the logos and graphics of the respective media organizations. Despite the fabricated nature of these events, certain messages in the videos align with far-right ideologies, as seen in some German videos supporting the Alternative for Germany party.

Additionally, viewers sometimes see comments from other TikTok users promoting these far-right parties.

Experts warn that the mass production of these videos serves to manipulate public perception and exacerbate societal polarization across Europe, posing significant threats to democratic discourse. The primary reason for their widespread dissemination is their ability to exploit pre-existing political anxieties and cultural grievances.

Using three common misinformation techniques – emotional language, AI-generated content, and polarization – the videos employ engagement-bait tactics to capture viewers' attention. These tactics are especially effective on short-form video platforms, where visual impact and emotional resonance can overshadow context. Social media algorithms further amplify this effect by pushing provocative content to users most likely to respond positively.

While TikTok has labeled the videos as AI-generated and removed them for violating its Community Guidelines, some of these videos still manage to remain online. This situation highlights potential weaknesses in TikTok's detection tools and raises questions about the platform's ability to effectively regulate content that could negatively affect civic discourse and electoral processes under the European Digital Services Act.