TikTok became the epicenter of a major advertising scandal in 2023 when a NewsGuard analysis found videos containing false claims about major brands garnered 57 million views, with nearly half using AI-generated or manipulated media. The controversy affected numerous companies including Target, Hobby Lobby, and Anheuser-Busch, who were falsely accused of selling "satanic" merchandise, demonic statues, and orchestrating controversial partnerships, respectively. This scandal highlighted how TikTok's algorithm often amplifies misinformation about brands, with the platform's policies specifically excluding "commercial and reputational harm" from its misinformation prohibitions.
