Facebook owner reportedly paid US Republican consulting firm to turn public against TikTok 

Campaign operatives promoted stories to local media, including some unsubstantiated claims, that tied TikTok to supposedly dangerous trends popular among teenagers – despite those trends originating on Facebook. File Picture

Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms, is reportedly paying a notable GOP consulting firm to create public distrust around TikTok.

The campaign, launched by Republican strategy firm Targeted Victory, involved op-eds and letters to the editor being placed in various publications, accusing TikTok of being a danger to American children, along with other disparaging accusations.