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From vampires and wendigos to killer asteroids, TikTok users are pumping out outlandish end-of-the-world conspiracy theories, in yet another misinformation trend on a platform whose fate in the United States hangs in the balance.
In the trend reported by the nonprofit Media Matters, TikTok users seek to monetize viral videos that make unfounded claims about the US government secretly capturing or preserving mythical monsters that include, wait for it, King Kong.
It is the latest illustration of misinformation swirling on the platform, a stubborn issue, that has been largely absent in recent policy debates as US lawmakers mull banning the Chinese-owned app on grounds of national security.
Often accompanied by spooky background music, the videos many of which garner millions of views feature imperious AI-generated voices, sometimes mimicking celebrities.
"We are all probably going to die in the next few years. Did you hear about this?" said a voice impersonating podcaster Joe Rogan in one viral video.
"There's this asteroid that is on a collision course with Earth," the voice claims, citing information leaked by a government official who stumbled upon a folder titled "keep secret from the public."
At least one account peddling that video appeared deactivated after AFP reached TikTok for comment.
Conspiracy theory videos, often posted by anonymous accounts, typically had the tell-tale signs of AI-generated images such as extra fingers and distortions, said TikTok misinformation researcher Abbie Richards.
Peddling such theories can be financially rewarding, Richards said, with TikTok's "Creativity Program" designed to pay creators for content generated on the platform.
It has spawned what she called a cottage industry of conspiracy theory videos powered by artificial intelligence tools including text-to-speech applications that are widely, and freely available online.
A TikTok spokeswoman insisted that "conspiracy theories are not eligible to earn money or be recommended" in user feeds.
"Harmful misinformation is prohibited, with our safety teams removing 95 per cent of it proactively before it's reported," she told AFP.
Still, tutorials on platforms such as YouTube show users how to create "viral conspiracy theory videos" and profit off TikTok's Creativity Program.
One such tutorial openly instructed users to start by making up "something outrageous" such as "scientists just got caught hiding a sabre-toothed tiger."
"Financially incentivizing content that is both highly engaging and cheap to manufacture creates an environment for conspiracy theories to thrive," Richards wrote in the Media Matters report.
Just last week, Italy's competition authority fined TikTok 10 million euros, saying the hugely popular video app had failed to sufficiently protect minors.
The social media platform could also be banned in the United States following a vote in the US House of Representatives last week.
