Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

AOC Explains Why TikTok Thanking 'President Trump' For Restoring App Is So Outrageous

Screenshot of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; Donald Trump
@aoc/TikTok; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The Democratic Rep. explained in a TikTok video why the popular app thanking "President Trump" before he even took office was a deliberate "choice" that spells trouble for users.

Shortly before President Donald Trump was sworn in, Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to TikTok to explain why the popular app thanking "President Trump" before he even took office was a deliberate "choice" that spells trouble for users.

In her post, she discussed the aftermath of TikTok resuming U.S. services following a 12-hour user lockout on Saturday night. TikTok issued a statement announcing the reversal, crediting the decision to "President Trump’s efforts."


She said the statement is a sign that TikTok is in league with the right-wing:

"First of all, Donald Trump is not president right now. He’s a private citizen. He does not have access to presidential powers. He does not have the ability to do any of that."
"So, like, please understand that TikTok’s decision to name Trump in the notification is a choice. They are signaling that they are privately collaborating. They have agreed to privately collaborate with Donald Trump and the Trump administration."
"And for all of those concerns that people were saying that TikTok is going to be used as a propaganda tool by the Chinese, understand that they’re using it as a propaganda tool for the right."
"Now, I want you all to put all the pieces together because what this effectively means is that every social media platform, mass social media platform in the United States has been taken over by the right-wing."

She also added that TikTok, like other social media sites, has "artificially manipulated the algorithm to boost right-wing content":

"TikTok is now saying ‘hey we are agreeing. We will use our push notification system for all 170 million American users to promote Donald Trump. Just understand that government announcements like these with companies, they never name politicians. They will usually name law or policy."
"TikTok is making an explicit agreement to do this. And if I were a betting person, they probably are making a deal with Donald Trump to not just use these push notifications. They probably would consider algorithmic changes."
'So what does this mean for us? Well, we are on the eve of an authoritarian administration. This is what 21st century fascism is starting to look like."

You can hear what she said in the video below.

@aoc

More on the TikTok Ban


Many joined her in calling this out.



Shortly after taking office yesterday, Trump signed an executive order to delay enforcement of a federal ban on TikTok for 75 days, despite the law taking effect on Sunday and questions about whether such a move could override it.

The order instructs the attorney general to refrain from enforcing the law, giving the administration “an opportunity to determine the appropriate course forward.” It is retroactive to Sunday.

The order may face immediate legal challenges, including questions about whether a president has the authority to halt enforcement of federal law. Companies subject to the ban, which prohibits providing services to Chinese-owned TikTok, might determine that the order does not shield them from legal liability.

The federal law banning TikTok, owned by ByteDance, required the app to be sold to a non-Chinese owner or face being blocked. It provides a 90-day extension only if a likely buyer is identified—a scenario complicated by the law already being in effect. The law also imposes strict limits on how much of TikTok’s stake can remain under foreign ownership.

TikTok’s connections to China have long raised national security concerns, including with Trump. Toward the end of his first term in 2020, Trump issued an executive order to bar app stores from offering TikTok for download and pushed for an American company to purchase the app. However, those efforts stalled after he lost re-election.

More from News/2024-election

Screenshots from @sarahtheseven's TikTok video
@sarahtheseven/TikTok

TikToker Speaks Out After Doctor Refused To Set Her Broken Arm Because She Was Crying

Many of us have negative relationships with the healthcare system, going to doctor's appointments, or asking for medical help at all—and unfortunately, that's for good reason.

Too often patients are subjected to medical bias, gaslighting, and neglect, and it can often lead to poor medical attention, inaccurate diagnoses, and even unnecessary medications and procedures. And the main victims of these occurrences are often women and people of color.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @culinaryem's TikTok video
@culinaryem/TikTok

Wedding Caterer Goes Viral For Her Reaction To Discovering Groom Was Having An Affair

It's easy to say that we would intervene if we realized that someone was cheating, but would we actually follow through when it happened?

That was the question chef, caterer, and TikToker @culinaryem faced when she planned to cater a wedding for a "lovely couple" she nicknamed "Sweet" (the bride) and "Dirtbag" (the groom).

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @dani_b_unfiltered's TikTok video
@dani_b_unfiltered/TikTok

Woman Hilariously Panics After She Accidentally Child-Locks Her Dinner In The Oven

We've all been "hangry" before and know how important that Snickers bar can be.

Or in TikToker @dani_b_unfiltered's case, it was a potato that was baking in the oven.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rob McElhenney
Gilbert Flores/ Variety/Getty Images

Rob McElhenney Just Shared A Video Explaining His 'Kinda Douchey' Decision To Legally Change His Name

What's in a name? A lot, apparently.

To be fair, a name represents a lot of things: a person's identity, the family they originate from, and possibly even some of the cultural and historical background of that family.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic
Disney/Marvel Studios

Pedro Pascal Adjusts Accent

Pedro Pascal was advised to tone down the Mid-Atlantic accent for his upcoming role as the stretchy Mister Fantastic/Reed Richards in Fantastic Four: First Steps.

In a video interview with Vanity Fair, he reflected on his past and current work and talked about working with a dialect coach for the Marvel movie, which is set to premiere on July 25th.

Keep ReadingShow less