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)

  • cmdrmoto@artemis.camp
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    1 year ago

    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
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      1 year ago

      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
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        1 year ago

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

      • Syrc@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        The CCP controls the entirety of TikTok. Here you might have some instances controlled by tankies and a higher percentage of tankie users, but the vast majority of instances are managed by “normal” people.

    • cyanarchy@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      My guy do you really not understand the shared desire of corporations to prevent solidarity and organization among workers?

      • Tony Bark@pawb.social
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        1 year ago

        I get that. I just didn’t see how TikTok benefited from all of this directly. Then someone reminded me that they’re from China, and it all made sense now.

        • Alto@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          Realistically the only way China is particularly relevant here is just how blatant it is. It’s in the interest of all corporations to suppress pro-union sentiment.

    • geosoco@kbin.socialOP
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      1 year ago

      What’s with people not reading?

      From the article which has also been updated in the blurb.

      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.

        • geosoco@kbin.socialOP
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          1 year ago

          Because everyone else in here can read and they understand how time works.

          • RedAggroBest@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            In a world where you can edit the title, cuz Lemmy, you would only leave that title to remain inflammatory.

            • geosoco@kbin.socialOP
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              1 year ago

              lol. that’s a word I haven’t heard in a long time. Yes, I definitely love doing a shit-ton of free labor for imaginary internet points. What is this clout and how is it going to help me? When does it unlock some money to pay my rent?

              You think i’m indebted to you to do additional free labor because you didn’t want to read the article or the blurb. I’m here to help build a community that isn’t reddit by sharing stories that might have value to people. Doing that, means making posts and starting useful discussions.

              For some reason, the f’n dregs of reddit came over who don’t want to do work, but want to complain to everyone else to do it for them. In the past 4 weeks, I’ve been accused by commenters of so much stupid shit in the last 4 weeks. Today it’s passing misinformation because you came into an article 24 hours after it was posted and wanted the title changed (despite that going against the posted rules). The other day it was bias because someone thought i wasn’t posting enough news about a tech giant who wasn’t generating news. I’m starting to doubt this will ever work because of some of the people here.

              • GodlessCommie@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                I didn’t say change the title, I said remove the post because it’s false info.

                If the common denominator for all the issues in your last paragraph is you, the problem might be you.

                • geosoco@kbin.socialOP
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                  1 year ago

                  lol. it’s not false info. It just doesn’t apply anymore, and it still has important info.

                  You still don’t get misinfo.

  • sadreality@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    These guys can’t even commie right…

    Jfc…

    Does anyone even care about the plight of labour anymore? Politically wise?

      • Meldroc@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        TikTok’s parent corporation is strongly tied to the Chinese gov’t and the CCP. So yes, they do, though of course they deny it…

      • Dept@lemmy.sdf.org
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        1 year ago

        even private Chinese companies have to adhere to the CCP’s guidelines and requests.

        • sadreality@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          American companies do the same tho… but point stands all around.

          NO such thing is “private sector” only thing that’s private is the “HOLY PROFIT” any losses covered by labour that generated the profit, or not