NEWSGUARD Rates the credibility of news and information websites and tracks online misinformation newsguardtech.com
PHOTOGRAPHS OF DEMONIC STATues perched on store shelves flash through the TikTok video as eerie music plays in the background. "Apparently Hobby Lobby has a crap-ton of Baphomet [satanic] and demon-like statues just on the shelves right now, which is really confusing because Hobby Lobby is a super Christian-based company," the unnamed narrator says.
The video is the first result that appeared on a list of videos when a NewsGuard analyst searched "Hobby Lobby" on TikTok. Contrary to the narrator's claims, the arts and crafts retail company does not sell demonic statues, and the photos shown in the video were Al-generated.
Hobby Lobby is among the major brands that have fallen victim to rampant misinformation on TikTok, a NewsGuard analysis found. In a July 7-13, 2023, review, NewsGuard analyzed the TikTok video search results of nine major brands. These brands-Anheuser-Busch, Balenciaga, Barilla, Bud Light, Chick-fil-A, Heineken, Hobby Lobby, Kohl's and Target-were chosen for review because they have recently become the targets of political criticism or boycotts.
NewsGuard found that videos that shared misinformation about these brands were cumulatively viewed 57 million times. Nearly half of the views were for videos that used AI-generated or otherwise manipulated media to advance misinformation.
In total, NewsGuard analyzed 520 TikTok videos and found that 14 percent, or 73 videos, contained false, misleading or unsubstantiated claims targeting the brands themselves. These video search results were generated by analyzing the top 20 results of 26 keyword searches related to brands based in the U.S. and Europe.
This story is from the September 22, 2023 edition of Newsweek Europe.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 22, 2023 edition of Newsweek Europe.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Julia Stiles
“What’s funny is that I did everything as a director that I swore I would never do to my actors.”
'A Clarion Call to Service'
Former ambassador to China heralds Jimmy Carter’s ‘exceptional dedication to humanity and world peace’
Marianne Jean-Baptiste
\"I'm not too worried about her not being likable.\"
AMERICA'S BEST - REGIONAL BANKS & CREDIT UNIONS 2025
REGIONAL BANKS AND CREDIT UNIONS ARE the financial backbone of communities nationwide.
'These Were Courageous Leaders'
Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter Bernice tells Newsweek how her family aligned with the Carters in the fight for civil rights
THE GOLDEN AGE OF GENETIC SEQUENCING
How Genes Are Mapping the Way to Cancer Cures
How the Other Half Live
Patricia Arquette returns for season 2 of Severance. Free from the corporation, she reveals her character's struggle with her newfound independence
An Iron Dome for America
Donald Trump has promised to build a missile defense system to protect the continental U.S. from a nuclear strike. A new report lays out how it might look
Mystery of Ginger Cat Is out of the Bag
The genetics behind the vibrant orange color in feline coats is finally confirmed after 112 years
Paris Hilton & Nicole Richie
PARIS HILTON AND NICOLE RICHIE ARE READY TO BRING A LITTLE “SANASA” to the world with Peacock's Paris & Nicole: The Encore, their first project together since their reality show The Simple Life ended in 2007. What's “sanasa”? It's a song and phrase the longtime friends created as kids and popularized on The Simple Life. The show, a cultural phenomenon in the early days of reality TV, followed them over a series of blue-collar jobs. Now they're bringing it back as an opera. “I know this is just going to make people laugh, have fun, be nostalgic and just celebrate our friendship,” Hilton said. While Richie acknowledged “you can't do Simple Life again,” she said now “felt like the right time.” The famous pair also revisit some old jobs in Arkansas, like fast-food chain Sonic, where they now have drinks named for them. “I think that there is a part of our friend- ship that the show ended up showing that people connect to,” Richie said. As for this new special, Hilton is glad to do something positive for their fans. “It's been such a crazy past couple years, and I just feel like the world needs more joy.”
