Background: Social media has changed the way global communication is done with TikTok emerging as one of the most dominant platforms due to its highly personalized algorithm that drives both engagement and rapid spread of misinformation. Yet, a gap still remains regarding TikTok’s effect on brand equity within TikTok’s unique video-based algorithm. This is particularly important as TikTok-based misinformation has been shown to spread at both unprecedented scale and cause real world harms to brand reputations.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore effective ways for brands to identify and counter misinformation on TikTok, with specific focus on safeguarding brand equity. By understanding the origins of misinformation and ways brands can deal with it on TikTok, we aim to understand consumer perspectives more deeply, so that misinformation can be combated more effectively.

Method: This paper follows a qualitative method and is based on interpretivism. The research method follows a phenomenological approach, and the primary data is collected through semi-structured interviews where all participants are regular users of TikTok who recall encountering misinformation on the app.

Conclusion: The results demonstrate that businesses need to consider several aspects in order protect brand equity and combat misinformation effectively. They must understand that misinformation relies on peer signals to spread. TikTok’s unique platform dynamics greatly increase spread of misinformation. Influencers can either help or ruin efforts to combat misinformation and should be utilized carefully. Brand response needs to be swift. Trust recovery requires proactive and reactive strategies to achieve the best possible effectiveness.