TikTok reduces visibility of LGBTQI+ community
This news may not surprise some. Already a few years ago it became known that the term "LGBT" and content referring to people with a physical or mental handicap disappeared "as if bymagic" from social networks in some countries.
ARD has now investigated the popular platform TikTok. As is well known, this is an app where anyone (13 years and older) can publish small videos. Some users here "only" want to entertain, but there are also many who do educational work. Among other things, the app is also used by many queer people as an environment where they can exchange ideas with others. But apparently some of those responsible behind the app see it differently. Content that focuses on certain terms is often excluded.
This time it also affects Germany. According to some research, some terms referring to the LGBTQI+ community are censored by the Chinese app operator. As soon as one of the words is mentioned in a TikTok, either verbally or in writing, the content in question may be kept under wraps and generate little to no reach.
What exactly is Tik Tok hiding?
After a long and intensive research, NDR, WDR and ARD found out that certain contents are apparently not distributed in Germany. In a way, this is a kind of knockout criterion. Among other things, many TikTok users have already vented their anger on social networks, wondering where their clips had disappeared and unable to find an explanation.
The principle behind this is not new and is known as "shadow banning". Among other things, the present case is mainly about terms such as:
- Gay
- Heterosexual
- Homophobic
- Gay
- LGBTQ
- Queer
- Gay
go. Especially when your own TikTok channel is used, for example, to educate and fight homophobia, it becomes difficult to be active here.
And: Not only the videos themselves, but also comments are said to be affected by this kind of censorship.
So if you are wondering why your video is not displayed or why your comment seems to have dissolved, you should consider whether one of these "sensitive" words (see above) was used.
China's fight against LGBTQI+ content
China is doing a lot to curb LGBTQI+ friendly content online. Of course, this also includes censoring relevant videos. This is to prevent people from coming into contact with LGBTQI+.
It is also particularly interesting in this context that the operator of the app, ByteDance Ltd, is allegedly in close contact with the Chinese government. The question: "How strongly does the regime control what can and cannot be published?" is accordingly obvious.
However, the criticism from several countries seems to have paid off. In the meantime, some of the terms that were originally on theblack listare now freely usable again - at least here in Germany.
But in China, the battle against the community continues. It almost seems as if people here are planning to ignore the issue completely in the hope that same-sex love and the like will "somehow" take care of themselves. No matter if on the internet or on TV: If you believe the public portrayals, you could assume that only cis people would live in China. The visibility of the others is restricted.