Mon 24 January 2022:
Local media in Japan claimed on Monday that the operator of the Chinese social media platform TikTok paid influencers to spread videos on Twitter without providing viewers with a notice.
According to a report by Kyodo News, the Japan branch of TikTok’s parent firm, ByteDance Ltd., “is believed to have spread TikTok videos handpicked by the company through influencers to raise recognition levels of the app.”
Because the videos appeared to be ordinary uploads from ordinary users, the tactic may be termed “stealth marketing.”
“The company said the practice, which had been in place until last December, of paying influencers to upload specific videos was not aimed at increasing the number of the app’s downloads and therefore it thought it was not obliged to clarify that the videos were intended for public relations activities,” read the report.
Because of “contracts with the social media influencers,” it also declined to reveal the amount and other specifics of the payments.
However, it stated in a statement that the technique “could mislead app users and other people concerned,” vowing to take “necessary measures to prevent a similar incident from happening again,” according to report.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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