Algorithm Manipulation: China’s Image on TikTok as Seen by Polish Users

With the rise of digital media in the early 21st century, social media platforms came to be seen not only as tools that empower citizens in their interactions with governments, but also as an unprecedented space for civic and political engagement. However, the ease of access to information and the speed at which content spreads online have created a significant challenge: how can the authenticity of information be effectively verified amid the ever-growing volume of online content? Verifying the credibility of sources is a time-consuming process that users of social media platforms often choose to forgo. One of the main reasons is the mismatch between the effort required to verify information and the fleeting nature of social media content. Videos are typically short, concise, and designed to capture users’ attention for only a brief moment (15–60 seconds). These characteristics are taken into account when designing applications and platforms by both public institutions and private companies, potentially allowing such actors to influence the content presented to users.

The issue of content manipulation on non-Western platforms, such as TikTok—the international version of the Chinese platform Douyin, launched by ByteDance in 2017—is particularly important for understanding the influence of authoritarian regimes on online discourse in democratic societies such as Poland, where freedom of expression is constitutionally guaranteed and protected by law. This study examines the potential implications of algorithmic manipulation affecting Polish users through six keywords: Xinjiang, Tibet, Tiananmen Square Massacre, Taiwan, human rights in China, and re-education camps in China. Given TikTok’s large user base in Poland, it can be argued that manipulation of the platform’s algorithms may influence how the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is perceived by Polish society.