TikTok has taken decisive action to safeguard the integrity of the upcoming US presidential election by removing accounts linked to two Russian media groups accused of conducting "covert influence" operations. The social media platform identified the accounts as being associated with Rossiya Segodnya and TV-Novosti, which are behind the Sputnik news agency and the RT broadcaster, respectively. TikTok has classified these groups as "state-affiliated" and has removed them for violating its community guidelines.

This action follows a similar move by Meta, which last week banned these entities from its platforms globally due to "foreign interference activity." The US Justice Department has also taken action, announcing charges against two RT employees for allegedly channeling nearly $10 million into a US-based company, Tenet Media, with the intent to create and disseminate content that would further Russian state interests among the American public.

Tenet Media, which is known for its association with several high-profile right-wing and pro-Trump commentators, has seen its figures, including Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson, come forward claiming to be unwitting participants in the alleged Russian influence campaign. In response to the Justice Department's allegations, RT has issued dismissive statements without addressing the specific accusations made by US officials.

TikTok itself has been under scrutiny for potential vulnerabilities that could allow the Chinese government to manipulate its algorithm and thereby influence American users. This is particularly concerning given that the platform, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is used by 170 million Americans for content on a wide range of topics, including sports, fashion, and politics.

In light of these concerns, President Joe Biden signed a bill in April that could result in a nationwide ban on TikTok unless the app is sold to a new owner, a prospect that TikTok is currently challenging in court. The company is committed to ensuring the integrity of the election process on its platform and is taking measures to prevent the spread of misinformation and to provide reliable election information to its users.