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, and others for putting in the comments)
What the fuck does that even achieve? What is the game here?
They’re just being complicit in union busting. Nothing to see here.
I guess. I don’t even see how this helps anti-union assholes much. Are they thinking out of sight out of mind is going to work when there’s no new TV this fall?
Silencing the opposition so that your talking points and version of events is shown to the public is a extremely potent weapon.
I get that in general, but why does TikTok even have a dog in this fight?
I can only speculate. My own observations tell me it’s much easier for 1000 of the richest oligarchs to conspire together and show class solidarity than 200 million working class individuals. It’s especially effective when those oligarchs control the media that feeds the masses.
Microsoft, Google, Apple, and many large Silicon Valley firms were all caught colluding to keep wages suppressed by agreeing to not poach talent from each other. Why couldn’t other oligarchs collude during industry meetings.
I guess, but isn’t TikTok competition for the studio system? People watching TikTok videos mean they aren’t watching paid streaming media or TV.
Nothing, because it’s not what happened. They blocked qanon conspiracies and caught this by mistake.
I had the same thing happen when I was searching for “oxy carpet cleaner refills” and came up with no results because of anti-drug searching. I suppose this means they have a conspiracy against cheaper alternatives to carpet cleaners?