Son of ‘brutal dictator’ elected president of the Philippines with the assistance of TikTok

The Washington Post has reported on the instrumental use of TikTok in the successful campaign of Bongbong Marcos, the incoming president of the Philippines and son of “brutal dictator” Ferdinand Marcos.

ISD analyst Ciarán O’Connor, who specialises in tracking disinformation and extremism on the viral short video platform, comments to the Washington Post about the vital role of the platform in Marcos’ campaign.

“The Marcos family has been rehabilitated through this platform that’s put a glossy sheen on the past,” Ciarán said.

These short-form videos create opportunities for misinformation to spread as historical events are reframed, or used out of context, thanks to a combination of audio, video, text and graphics. The article draws on an example of an anti-corruption quote by Marcos’s main rival, outgoing Vice President Leni Robredo, that went viral saying that she would indeed lead a corrupt administration.