Rethinking Media Literacy 2025

organizations as well as a range of experts who help it stay ahead of new kinds of potentially harmful content. From October-December 2024, over 98% of violative content on TikTok was removed before a user reported it to the platform.49 Disinformation life cycle level TikTok’s intervention addresses three key stages of the disinformation life cycle: content creation, distribution and consumption. At the content creation stage, TikTok was the first platform of its kind to launch a tool that enables creators to easily label their AIGC and give viewers important context. In terms of distribution, TikTok was the first video-sharing platform to start implementing the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity’s (C2PA) content credentials technology, which enables TikTok to automatically label AIGC created on some other platforms, while informing C2PA of AIGC made on TikTok.50 Finally, at the consumption stage, TikTok invests in media literacy campaigns and other strategies to increase awareness of its AIGC tools and controls so users can feel confident about navigating content on its platform. While experts welcome AIGC labelling measures, they emphasize that media literacy is also crucial for driving adoption and clarity. To help its community navigate AIGC and misinformation online, TikTok has launched media literacy resources that were developed with guidance from experts. In 2024, TikTok launched an AIGC transparency in-app campaign (developed with expert guidance from WITNESS and Mutale Nkonde, Chief Executive Officer and founder of AI for the People and a member of TikTok’s US Content Advisory Council) to help the TikTok community feel more confident about navigating content on the platform and beyond. The campaign had two objectives: 1. Drive awareness of product features (AIGC labels and the reporting tool) that can help people spot and act upon AIGC misinformation 2. Increase familiarity with TikTok’s approach to AIGC As part of this campaign, TikTok used AI technologies such as dubbing, translation and video generation to create two in-app videos that highlighted different use cases and common scenarios of AIGC. The goal of using GenAI was to help illustrate both the creative power and potential risks of this technology. Each video opened with an engaging hook and disclosed that the content is made with the help of AI early on, highlighting that AIGC is not inherently harmful, and can be a powerful and positive creative tool when used properly. The scripts were intended to be entertaining, educational and positive in tone. These videos were launched in five different languages in five countries.51 Outcomes The videos reached 90 million users in total in five countries and led to a knowledge hub that had more information and tips on how to spot AIGC. The campaign helped drive awareness of and familiarity with TikTok’s AIGC tools and controls as well as highlighting the importance of AI transparency more broadly. This helped users spot and act upon potentially misleading AIGC, reinforcing TikTok’s commitment to educating communities on media literacy and providing a safe, welcoming and trustworthy creative environment. This campaign is an example of how TikTok has been working with experts to develop media literacy strategies that can help its community identify and think critically about AIGC and misinformation. Rethinking Media Literacy: A New Ecosystem Model for Information Integrity 31