The popular social media platform TikTok, under pressure from the United States Congress, has announced plans to begin censoring content on its For You Feed (FYF). This move, which will commence on May 17, is seen as a direct attack on free speech and an attempt to control the narrative. The decision is particularly alarming considering that many members of Congress hold stocks in Meta (Facebook), a direct competitor of TikTok.
In an obvious attempt to control information dissemination, especially in relation to health matters, TikTok will be implementing new FYF “Eligibility Standards”. These standards are designed to block content that discusses “unproven treatments” as defined by the government. Furthermore, the platform will also crackdown on content providing advice about dieting and weight loss, plastic surgery (unless associated risks are mentioned), and science in general.
Natural News reports: “Anything in these categories that is deemed by the authorities to be “misleading,” or that “could potentially” cause harm to the public, will more than likely not be featured on TikTok’s FYF.”
This development raises questions about freedom of speech and expression on social media platforms. With this new policy, users who talk about topics deemed controversial or unproven by the government will not be featured at the same level as other users. This biased censorship reeks of political interference and manipulation.
Moreover, TikTok’s new rules are intentionally vague and cast a wide net across a large portion of its content. In particular, mental health information seems to be under scrutiny with an aim to stop “overgeneralization”. It appears that any content that centers around “sadness” will soon be frowned upon, including sharing sad quotes or any content that might make someone feel unhappy.
Interestingly, TikTok is also planning to add a disclaimer to “sadness content”, warning viewers that it may be problematic if viewed in clusters. This move reflects an overreaching attempt by the platform to control and dictate the emotional state of its users.
As we approach another presidential election year, it’s worth noting that TikTok is suddenly hyper-focused on “election integrity”. This is reminiscent of what Twitter and Facebook did back in 2016 when they were the most popular social media apps. Now that TikTok holds this position, it seems the powers that be are doing everything possible to suppress unapproved information that might destabilize their preferred status quo.
The erosion of free speech on TikTok should concern everyone who values freedom of expression and the free exchange of ideas. With these new changes, it’s clear that Congress is using its influence to control the narrative and limit dissenting views. It’s a sobering reminder of how vital it is for us to stand up against censorship in all its forms.
Source: Conservative Firing Line