#YOU DO NOT NEED A TIKTOK. YOU DO NOT NEED A REDNOTE EITHER.

[frisbee-equine]

And while I'm on the subject of bitching about social media, I realize this is a controversial statement on the tankie TikTok addict site, but fun fact: you can in fact criticize the American government for trying to limit what websites you go on in the name of xenophobic capitalistic surveillance exploitation, while not also just turning around and giving your information to a site that is owned lock stock and barrel by another imperialist power with an EVEN MORE corrupt surveillance exploitation system.

You can, in fact, not fucking feed the identity theft misinformation algorithm on either side! Shocking, I know!

[abbysworldsastage]

I don’t know if some of you guys are being purposefully dense, or if you’re just trying to be edgy, or if you’re falling for some of the bullshit the US and their funders have been spouting, but I don’t think you guys understand what is happening with the tiktok ban and why you should be worried.

“Whatever. We need an app for the people and by the people. I don’t care about tiktok.”

This ban sets a precedent for allowing them to ban any app they SAY they view as a threat. We all know it isn’t really because of ccp involvement (senator im Singaporean), but because the people on tiktok are speaking out and organizing. AND Zuckerberg, Elon, and bezos are jealous of the platform and want to buy it so they are trying to force a sale. Even if we did manage to create an app “for the people by the people” that reached that level of success, if people started being so pro-Palestine and started organizing and talking the same way they do on tiktok, the second the government got wind of it they could make up some “national security” bs and use this as a precedent for a much faster ban. Remember, they have been working on this for YEARS. And maybe some tech bro would swoop in and say “hey, I’ll buy the platform and clean it up for the government so they don’t have to worry about the threats anymore *wink wink $$* and then there goes that platform too.

“Idk why people think they are getting one over on the government by going to RedNote. Do you all think you’re actually doing something?”

None of us believed going to RedNote would be a long term solution. It is a form of protest on many levels, AND calling out the government on their  fear mongering and xenophobia. They keep using the “China will steal your data” excuse and we very vocally said “we don’t care, and here is proof.”

AND

We are making a statement to Zuckerberg that we won’t go back to meta, even without tiktok. He spent MILLIONS lobbying for this ban in order to get rid of the competition one way or another. Either it goes away, or sells. And just like vine, he would probably buy it up and either shut it down after a while to get people back to instagram, or just fuck up the algorithm to suppress the creators that actually make the app special. The writers, artists, POC, queer people, etc. who have found an audience that they never would have found on Instagram or YouTube would be pushed to the background again.

Remember how we always say “money talks”? In a world where these platforms are profiting off of our data, we are taking that “digital currency” that they have been stealing for ages, and actively CHOOSING to give it to their competitors. WHILE withholding it from the people who have been profiting off it. That includes the politicians who have been getting paychecks from meta in order for all of this to happen.

“Tiktok has radicalized so many, and spread misinformation, is too addictive, and helped trump win the election!”

I have not been on a single app or social media network in my LIFE that you could not say that about. INCLUDING TUMBLR! Are we forgetting the fucking Russian bot accounts in the 2016 election? The fucking hairless purple eye condition people actually believed? I have seen rac*sts, and bigots, and “maps” on this app for years. It is on Facebook. It is on Instagram. It is on Reddit. it is on Twitter or X or whatever you wanna call it. The biggest difference with TikTok is that it is loud. It is popular. And it is making a lot of money for a billionaire that is not from America. I have spent the same amount of excessive hours doom scrolling on Tumblr that I have on TikTok. You can do that on any app. and I am going to be real with you all for a second: As someone who has spent a ton of time on both apps, I honestly feel like the content on TikTok feels just like Tumblr except in video format. 

I could rant for ages, but honestly at this point, I don’t know how else to tell you guys that you should care about this whether or not you like tiktok. And what TikTok users are doing in response to this ban is actually having an impact whether you want to see it or not. it might not be the thing that makes our politicians go “we are so sorry. you are right. We will fix this.” But it is making our voices and opinions on the matter loud and clear, so that when they do go against what we are telling them we want, they can’t claim ignorance for our reaction. It is forcing them to go out of their way to oppose what the people have been asking for. it is forcing them to out their true intentions to the people who don’t clearly see what they’re doing. Like there are so many layers to this and I am not eloquent enough to explain them all in a way that doesn’t make me sound like a rambling maniac please I am begging you all to take a second and think about this beyond an app. 



[carriedreamerx]

So just saw on Rednote Trump made a statement about TikTok.

Calls for 50% US ownership and now suddenly Meta is trying to connect TikTok to Meta.... yeah

Something smells rotten here.

I genuinely think this was all because Meta knew Reels is a goddamn mess that is so AI riddled it's not sustainable and they ( he) had a goddamn temper tantrum.

Monopolies aren't supposed to be legal in the US by the way…

But whatever, rules don't apply to him because he's either trying to or has successfully bought it. Evidence is growing for the latter.

And everyone who witnessed the fall of Instagram once Meta got their claws in it knows what that Means.

R.i.p. Tiktok you had a good run unfortunately you pissed off an oversized toddler who was pissed you wouldn't share the Legos so he kicked it down instead.

But seriously like I said on BlueSky - where am I supposed to advertise my book and get through following I need to be published traditionally because publishing houses will no longer do the marketing. You have to do it.

…. I would really prefer not to have to navigate the hellscape that is Reels or Threads. Like, please no. Thank you.

Ugh, I'm finishing my coffee and going to continue packing now. Countdown has begun I'm almost out of this shit hole Abd thus my disgusting donkey shit of a neighbor too. Yayyyyy.

CLEAN LAUNDRY HERE I COME

…. That's a whole other story for Another time.

[radioluminescentoblivion]

LONG WINDED RANT INCOMING!!

On this day, TikTok is officially banned in the US on all devices after the US Supreme Court upheld the act known as PAFACA or (Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act) by a unanimous vote. However, Bytedance removed TikTok from app stores and was blocked on all devices to prepare for the fallout a day before the ban. 

TikTok has been on America’s radar since Trump’s first term in office but hasn’t gotten the boot until more recently. The reasons stem mostly on these two justifications: 1. National security concerns of American data being collected by Bytedance to be then given to the Chinese government and 2. To combat China’s efforts to manipulate Americans on the content of the platform. But the truth of the matter is…it’s all bullshit.

The entire narrative behind the “national security” belief is but a red herring as to the US's real motives, it’s to suppress freedom of speech from dissenting voices that otherwise wouldn’t be controlled under an American company. The ironic aspect of all this is that the very crimes Congress, DOJ, and many other ruling bodies are claiming China is doing is exactly what America is doing now on a corporate and governmental scale. Why make such a big fuss about data security when that same concern has little to no impact in regards to US tech corporations? What exactly is China going to do when they finally have data on that one person from TikTok doing silly dances? Why is a foreign fucking agent needed to sow dissent in American citizens when our own government does just that? 

Despite these claims they’ve yet to provide evidence to justify this ban, it is merely speculation, which is not a good look to make in regards to defending free speech from foreign agents. It is possible that Bytedance could be collecting data to be handed over to the PRC, it is possible they could be manufacturing the algorithm in their interest, but how is that any different than how we do it? If anything, it’s far worse in comparison and receives little pushback.

Meanwhile, you have Senator Mitt Romney saying exactly the reason as to why this ban is a motive in the first place. https://youtu.be/V92PzA6eEyM?feature=shared&t=1333 

This is not the first time American politicians have brought up pro-Palestine sentiment or in their words “Hamas propaganda” concerning TikTok or how they’ll tie it to the same degree of promoting tyranny as pro-Russia or pro-China. They know they can’t have full control of what the political narrative is on TikTok because it’s not an American company with Western-centric interest, the algorithm can’t be easily swayed to support Israel in comparison, so what can they do? Well, label it a national security concern and try to ban the app on grounds of speculation rather than proof. If this isn’t enough to convince you, keep in mind that the American government’s only other option to TikTok besides getting banned is to sell to some other benefactor to own the app just to do the same thing it’s always been doing, just not under a Chinese company.   

And before anyone is quick to jump on the “good riddance” bandwagon, I’d like to remind you that this is not a victory for the people, it is a continual reminder that America will do whatever it can to use security as a justification of suppression of free speech just as it has done time and time again. If you think this will only apply to China or some other foreign nation, think again. It’s these slippery slopes that make the rise of a fascist state all the more possible. 

But despite all this, will the ban be permanent? Hard to say, but knowing if Trump is involved, he just might make the ban temporary and allow the divestment to go through and the app to remain on American grounds (for his interest, of course) Either that or people just use Rednote instead, which would be the opposite of what the government would want. But even if TikTok was brought back, it wouldn’t undo the damage that has already been set in stone. 

[rosewood-multifandom-writer]

Just so some of you guys know, RedNote is not the TikTok substitute you want. RedNote does not allow anyone to talk about LGBT identities nor does it allow women to wear anything that shows skin, otherwise, you either get your account suspended or the content you made will get removed.

It’s just like the BlueSky thing where certain artwork like the taboo sexual artwork are banned or censored on that platform, which sets a bad precedent for the vanilla NSFW artists.

As much as these two substitutes can suck, YouTube Shorts and Instagram seem to be good options. If you do not want to see the incompetency of Instagram when it comes to bullying, then just go with YouTube Shorts.

Like I said about BlueSky, someone needs to make a website dedicated to artists kind of similar to Archive of Our Own, but with artwork.

You also need to do research on those new platforms before you hop on there.

[martiabernathey]

Leaving Another Social Media Account Behind

With the coming TikTok ban, I’ve realised that I’m doing something that I’ve done since 1997, which is leaving another social media site.

My online social media prepense since 1997: AOL community (1997), Livejournal (2001-2004), Friendster (2003-2004), Myspace (2004-2006), Tribe.net (2005), Facebook (2006-2019), Twitter (2008-2024), YouTube (2011), Mastodon (2018), TikTok (2020), PeerTube (2024).

This was never a linear event cycle, I just kind of floated from one app to the next with a lot of bleed over. At each site, I met different people and formed community bonds. Some of those connections lasted through those journeys, some did not. But at each part of the journey, there was always a sense of fear at not finding community again.

Here we are at the beginning of 2025 and TikTok is being banned in the USA. I’ve known for about a year that I’d be transitioning off TikTok anyway, but the ban has made me self-reflect on my journey. Things I’ve realised:

I’ll find community wherever I go. There’s always the fear of leaving community behind. Some people follow have followed me, others don’t. That’s OK.

Corporate ownership has turned the social media into a fucking rubbish tip. Corporate social media sites like TikTok/Facebook/Twitter get clicks and views through drama/outrage/rage bait. This has made social media a public cancer on society.

not everyone can do it, but those that can, should own their own social media sites. Self-censoring on social media is a thing. You can’t say can’t say “rape” or “killed” or “porn”. You’ll either get no views on your videos, or you’ll get a Community Guidelines Violation (CGV) that effectively silences you. So instead of rape, you’ll say “grape.” Instead of saying killed, you’ll say “unalived.” Instead of porn, you’ll say “corn”. It’s so ingrained that I feel uneasy writing the words here, even though there’s no censor here.

Most Millennials, and the generations beyond, aren’t really concerned about digital privacy or have any concept have how that data manipulates their everyday life. They’ve lived most of the life that they remember as a product on social media algorithms.

since the ban, many people on TikTok are leaving for RedNote. A mutual recently said, “I doubt that RedNote will be a permanent option, and it doesn’t really matter whether it can be or will be. We still need to be able to have our own comms based on our servers, protected by our nerds and our security. We will need to have global capacity. Our ability to be safe and have our comms protected means it must be able to move. It must be asymmetrical. It needs multiple servers across the global to do that.” That ability is already in place with Mastodon. I can spin a masto instance in a matter of minutes. Going to another corporate owned social media site isn’t praxis. You’re just going to find a new overlord.

I don’t see myself returning to corporate social media. As I’ve said recently, I’m going to focus on building community in a very specific way, namely POSSE. I’m no longer going to worry myself about the people who don’t come along for the ride with me, but on those that do.