Tenet Media posts remain online despite US accusations

The case highlights the complexity of moderating real users’ content, underscoring the political sensitivities and challenges faced by social media companies.
Department of Justice

Despite US authorities accusing employees of the Russian state media network RT of attempting to influence the 2024 presidential election, many of the social media posts linked to the case remain accessible. Tenet Media, the company at the centre of the allegations, still has hundreds of posts on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X. So far, only YouTube has acted by removing several of Tenet’s channels.

Prosecutors allege that RT employees covertly paid US commentators to post divisive content, though the commentators were unaware of RT’s involvement. The situation highlights the challenges social media platforms face when dealing with influence operations that involve real American users rather than fake or state-run accounts. That complexity has led to hesitation in taking swift action, reflecting the difficult balance between moderating content and avoiding censorship of legitimate speech.

The US Justice Department claims the scheme involved millions of dollars, but Tenet Media and the social media companies have not commented on how they plan to address the issue. Social media platforms are now deliberating on how to navigate these murky political and legal waters.