this post was submitted on 11 Sep 2023
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TikTok is blocking searches for WGA amid the ongoing writers strike (www.mediamatters.org)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by geosoco@kbin.social to c/technology@lemmy.world
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Users on TikTok searching for “WGA” are met with a screen claiming that the phrase “may be associated with behavior or content that violates our guidelines.” No videos return. Users are also unable to search for the “WGA” hashtag.

TikTok has also blocked the search term “WGA strike.”

Additionally, it appears that TikTok is blocking results from any simple search that includes “WGA” in the search term. Including “WGA” in addition to another word — like “WGA support” or “WGA strong” — blocks results.

Update (9/11/23): A TikTok spokesperson told Media Matters that “WGA has been inadvertently blocked as part of the platforms’ protections against QAnon conspiracy theories.” (WWG1WGA is a common QAnon phrase.) The spokesperson added that searches for “Writers Guild of America” and “Writers Guild of America Strike” were not impacted. Searches for “WGA” and related terms now appear to function normally.

(Thanks mike591, SCB, crowsby, and others for putting in the comments)

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[–] cmdrmoto@artemis.camp 162 points 1 year ago (7 children)

Yet another demonstration of the dangers of allowing a communication channel to be controlled by an entity whose motives aren’t aligned with what the users of that channel actually want / need.

Fediverse is the best collective action I can think of against this kind of censorship.

[–] JasSmith@kbin.social 33 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It’s been wild over the last few years to see authoritarians cheering on corporate social media censorship, as though it will never be turned on them.

Fuck censorship.

[–] Loid@lemm.ee 2 points 1 year ago

Why would it turn against them? It aligns perfectly with their ideology.

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