Are Social Platforms Tools for Foreign Influence?

There is escalating concern over the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) alleged use of TikTok and other cultural tools to conduct what can be described as cognitive warfare against the United States. According to Breitbart News and senior contributor Peter Schweizer, Chinese strategists are leveraging the social media platform to sow discord among America’s youth, aiming to destabilize national unity and indirectly influence the country’s future direction without resorting to military confrontation. Tools such as propaganda, alteration of historical perspectives, paradigm shifts in thinking, and deconstruction of national symbols are purportedly employed to manipulate American values and, ultimately, strategic outcomes. Additionally, the involvement of American celebrities in promoting TikTok raises questions about their support of these alleged propaganda efforts.