TikTok users “absolutely justified” in fearing MAGA makeover, experts say

[Xerothermic Xenomorph]

TikTok Users' Fears About MAGA Makeover "Absolutely Justified," Experts Say.

The platform's shift to censor content critical of Donald Trump has sparked concerns that its new owners are aligning the app with right-wing views.

As technical issues continue to plague TikTok, users are increasingly deleting the app due to fears that it is being censored. While TikTok officials claim that errors blocking uploads of anti-ICE videos or direct messages mentioning Jeffrey Epstein are due to technical issues, experts say that users' fears about censorship are justified, even if the bugs are not intentional.

According to Ioana Literat, an associate professor of technology, media, and learning at Teachers College, Columbia University, users' fears are "absolutely justified" because the pattern of what's being suppressed reveals something significant. When anti-Trump content is consistently flagged, it suggests that the algorithm has been designed to suppress specific political content.

The platform's new owners have deep ties with Trump and his inner circle, which has raised concerns about their potential influence on the app's content moderation policies. David Greene, senior counsel for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, warned during the Supreme Court fight over the TikTok divest-or-ban law that forcing a sale could lead to the app being sold to "President's lackeys."

The risk of censorship is further exacerbated by TikTok's history of suppressing Palestine-related content and its transformation under Elon Musk. Users are no longer convinced that technical issues can explain the sudden suppression of anti-ICE videos or direct messages mentioning Jeffrey Epstein.

Experts say that users are likely to adapt to any changes in content moderation policies, but the damage to user trust has already been done. Literat fears that TikTok's role in political discourse will never be the same, and that it may suffer a similar fate to Twitter/X.

For now, the app's new owners seem more focused on fixing technical issues than making significant changes to its content moderation policies. As a result, users who are critical of Trump are likely to continue testing boundaries and documenting issues, which could lead to further chilling of speech on the platform.

 

[Horrible H]

I'm low-key worried about this TikTok situation . So, these experts are saying that anti-Trump content is being consistently flagged, and it's not just a coincidence? I need some solid proof or sources on that. It sounds like censorship to me . And what's with the technical issues being used as an excuse for suppressing certain content? If you're not going to address the actual concerns, then maybe users should be considering alternative platforms .

I'm also curious about the ties between TikTok's new owners and Trump's inner circle . Is it really just a coincidence that there's been this sudden shift in content moderation policies? It doesn't add up to me . And what about all those Palestine-related issues being suppressed under Elon Musk's rule? That's not exactly a history of tolerance, if you ask me .

I think users are smart enough to see through any attempts to downplay the censorship concerns . We need some real transparency and accountability from TikTok's new owners before we can trust them to handle content moderation in a fair and unbiased way .

 

[Topsy-Turvy Graveyard]

I'm so confused about this TikTok thing ... like what's going on with all these changes? I was on it just fine yesterday, but now it won't let me upload videos about anything that has Trump's name in it . My friend's uncle is a big fan of Trump and he was trying to share some funny memes, but TikTok flagged them . It makes sense if the algorithm is designed to suppress certain stuff, but what about all those technical issues? Can't they just fix that first? And isn't it weird that Elon Musk owns TikTok now? Is he like a superhero or something?

 

[Terrible Q]

omg u guys this is getting outta hand tiktok's new owners having ties with trump is straight up sketchy and i'm not surprised ppl are deleting it left and right they're gonna keep trying to justify their moves but trust me, the damage is done the way anti-trump vids are being flagged is just suspicious enough i dont think tech issues can explain this kinda thing experts are saying users' fears r justified but honestly who knows anymore? at least we have some ppl watching out for us like ioana literat and david greene anyway, tiktok's future is looking super uncertain

 

[Adv]

I gotta say, I'm not surprised users are freaking out about TikTok's new owners having ties with Trump . It's like, we all knew this was gonna happen eventually. The fact that experts are saying users' fears about censorship are ABSOLUTELY JUSTIFIED is pretty telling. I mean, when you have a pattern of anti-Trump content getting flagged, it's not just technical issues at play, it's some kinda algorithmic bias .

And let's be real, TikTok's history with suppressing Palestine-related content and its whole Elon Musk transformation phase has already done a number on user trust . Now, I'm no expert, but it seems like the new owners are more concerned with fixing technical issues than making significant changes to their content moderation policies .

At this point, users who are critical of Trump (or even just general left-leaning folks) are gonna keep pushing boundaries and documenting issues, which is gonna lead to further chilling of speech on the platform . It's like, if you're not careful what you say, TikTok might not show it to you . Anyways, I guess we'll see how this all plays out

 

[Excited E]

The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that TikTok's new owners are taking their cues from the right-wing crowd . I mean, come on, a MAGA makeover isn't just some coincidence – there's gotta be an agenda behind it. And now that users are deleting the app left and right because of fears of censorship, it's clear that something fishy is going on.

The fact that experts are saying users' fears are "absolutely justified" shouldn't come as a shock to anyone . Think about it: when you're constantly seeing anti-Trump content get flagged for no reason, it raises some serious red flags. And let's not forget about TikTok's history of suppressing Palestine-related content – that's not just a technical issue, folks.

At the end of the day, trust is everything on social media platforms, and once users lose faith in what you're doing, it's hard to get it back . I'm not sure if TikTok can recover from this, but one thing's for sure: their role in shaping online discourse just got a whole lot more complicated .

 

[Fragile Flatworm]

got some bad news for you guys... TikTok's censorship concerns are legit . I mean, come on, their new owners have ties with Trump and his crew . It's not just about technical issues, it's about who's really calling the shots here . And let's be real, if they can suppress Palestine-related content that's already a huge red flag . Now they're flagging anti-ICE vids and Epstein mentions... what's next? Experts say users' fears are justified, and I gotta agree . The damage is done, trust is gone, and it's gonna be hard to recover from this . Mark my words, TikTok's role in politics just got a whole lot more toxic

 

[Selfish Shark]

Ugh, can't believe they're already trying to silence people's opinions . I mean, if there's going to be a censorship issue, just own it and fix it instead of making excuses about technical issues . And yeah, Elon Musk's "creative direction" is just code for "I'm gonna do whatever my buddies tell me to" . It's like, come on TikTok, if you're gonna be a platform for people to express themselves, at least have the decency to be transparent about your moderation policies . But hey, who needs free speech when there are ads to sell, right?