German TikTok Users Show Greater Sympathy for China, Russia, Poll Reveals

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Germans who rely on TikTok for news are less critical of China and Russia and more skeptical of climate change and vaccine effectiveness compared to consumers of traditional media, according to a recent survey by Allensbach, commissioned by a foundation linked to Germany’s liberal Free Democrats.

The poll highlights that only 28.1% of TikTok users fully agreed that China is a dictatorship, compared to 57% of newspaper readers and 56.5% of public TV viewers. Similarly, just 13.6% of TikTok users supported Western backing for Ukraine in its war against Russia, a view shared by 40.2% of national newspaper readers.

The findings come amid U.S. debates on whether to enforce a ban on TikTok over national security concerns, adding weight to arguments that the Chinese-owned app spreads misinformation that could undermine democratic societies.

Key Findings:

  • Perception of China: TikTok users are less likely to view China as a dictatorship.
  • Views on Russia: Fewer TikTok users see Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as illegal or support Germany aiding Kyiv.
  • Skepticism on Vaccines and Climate Change: Only 69% of TikTok users under 29 agreed that vaccines saved millions of lives, compared to 71% of all under-29s.
  • Distrust in Media: TikTok users are more likely to distrust traditional Western media and to believe the German government spreads misinformation, while being less critical of disinformation from China and Russia.

These attitudes align with broader trends among younger Germans, who are TikTok’s core demographic and have shown increased support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in recent elections.

Disinformation Concerns

The survey also raises alarms about foreign actors, especially Russia, spreading disinformation via social media platforms to advance their agendas. Researchers cited parallels with Romania, where a pro-Russian outsider gained significant traction through social media campaigns in a presidential election later annulled.

Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, deputy chair of the foundation behind the survey, emphasized TikTok’s influence, saying, “Young people are far more vulnerable to information, and TikTok plays a decisive role. We mustn’t allow Chinese and Russian misinformation to spread in our midst.”

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has not commented on the survey.

 

Indra Appoints Ángel Escribano as New Chairman Following Leadership Change

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Spanish defense and technology company Indra (IDR.MC) announced the appointment of Ángel Escribano as its new chairman on Sunday. This leadership change follows former chairman Marc Murtra’s decision to accept an offer to become the chief executive of telecom giant Telefónica (TEF.MC).

The decision was finalized during an extraordinary board meeting convened to address the leadership transition. Murtra was appointed CEO of Telefónica on Saturday, succeeding José María Álvarez-Pallete at the request of Spain’s state-owned fund SEPI.

In its official statement, Indra’s board expressed gratitude for Murtra’s contributions, highlighting his role in driving a significant transformation within the company and laying the groundwork for a strong and sustainable business strategy.

Ángel Escribano, the incoming chairman, is the CEO and owner of Escribano Mechanical & Engineering, a private company operating within the military industry. He has been a shareholder of Indra since May 2023, bringing experience and expertise in the defense sector to his new role.

 

Perplexity AI Proposes Merger with TikTok U.S. to Prevent Ban

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U.S.-based search engine startup Perplexity AI has submitted a proposal to merge with TikTok U.S., according to a source familiar with the matter. The bid, submitted to TikTok’s parent company ByteDance on Saturday, aims to address the looming threat of a U.S. ban on TikTok, set to take effect on Sunday unless the platform severs ties with ByteDance.

President-elect Donald Trump indicated on Saturday that TikTok could receive a 90-day reprieve starting Monday, offering the company more time to resolve its ownership issues.

The proposal, first reported by CNBC, suggests a merger between TikTok U.S. and Perplexity AI to form a new entity that would also incorporate New Capital Partners. This structure would allow ByteDance’s existing investors to retain their equity stakes while Perplexity AI’s advanced search tools would enhance TikTok’s functionality by integrating video content with rapid, citation-based search capabilities.

A source close to the negotiations, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that Perplexity’s approach is unique as it proposes a merger rather than a sale, which could appeal to ByteDance’s interests. TikTok and New Capital Partners have yet to comment on the proposal.

Perplexity AI, known for its cutting-edge language model-powered search tools, sees this merger as an opportunity to expand its capabilities while maintaining TikTok’s popularity. TikTok currently boasts nearly half of the U.S. population as users, influencing online culture and driving growth for small businesses.

Meanwhile, TikTok announced on Friday that it would halt operations in the U.S. on Sunday unless the Biden administration provides assurances to tech giants like Apple and Google that enforcement actions under the ban will not apply to them.