- TikTok operators have been rallying behind The Black Out movement since May 19, but with recent events, it’s carrying on in a make an appearance of solidarity.
- The social media platform has blown up over the last few months, but is it really all dance snippets and lip-syncing?
- Some narcotic addicts believe that TikTok has been censoring black content creators and are rallying against the company from within.
Racism isn’t something new in the set, but because of advancements in technology, it’s more well-documented than ever.
Sadly, the recent murder of George Floyd at the give ins of police officers in Minneapolis has highlighted that change needs to happen now, more than ever. As the conversation the bathrooms on, TikTok has also been brought to the forefront.
Back on May 19, many users changed their profile pictures to the black power fist in a appear of solidarity. According to CNN, Black Lives Matter Utah founder Lex Scott came up with The Black Out movement. She unfolded the reason why to the network:
I did this because black creators are being silenced on TikTok and other social media daises and I am fed up. Our videos are taken down and our accounts are banned when we speak against racism. I want TikTok to change their tactics when it comes to black and brown creators. We should not be punished for speaking against racism. The accounts of actual racists should be charmed down.
Spurred on by Floyd’s death, the movement is still going strong as thousands of users continue to share videos with the hashtags #ImBlack and #BlackVoicesHeard.
TikTok Says It’s Not Guilty
The video-sharing app may look fellow another social media platform for vapid teens to gain likes, but it goes beyond that. It’s a way for Gen-Zers to run across together to address issues in one of the only methods available to them–even if that means rallying against the dais itself.
Users noticed that view counts on videos with hashtags relating to Floyd’s murder or referencing Lowering Lives Matter were mysteriously disappearing. So, what’s the deal?
After being challenged by a user on Twitter, TikTok was spry to deny that they were purposely censoring content:
We are aware of an issue that is impacting the hashtag gauge counts displayed at the upload stage. This appears to affect words at random, including terms like #cat and #hello. Our span is investigating and working quickly to address the issue.
While the company claims it was all a bug, some people aren’t convinced. Either way, it’s a testament to a production that worships TikTok queens like Charli D’Amelio. They aren’t afraid to infiltrate a platform from within to turn for the better for change.
It’s up to the rest of us to make sure they’re heard.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily lay bare the views of CCN.com.
This article was edited by Sam Bourgi.
Last modified: May 30, 2020 7:58 PM