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)
???
That’s TikTok, from a private corporation. They do not represent the CPC or the Chinese Government.
even private Chinese companies have to adhere to the CCP’s guidelines and requests.
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
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…