My experience with tiktok, especially of late, has been very rocky. It’s been an issue with my mutuals as well. I am a plus size woman and a member of the LGBTQ and disabled community.
Every day members of TikTok post homophobic, transphobic, sexist, predatory, racist, and ableist content and every day I get notified by tiktok that those videos are within the community guidelines.
A lot of my content is centered around sketch comedy and for some reason those videos have been targeted by tiktok for absurd reasons. I recently made a video encouraging Georgia citizens to register to vote in order to vote in the run-off election. Within an hour is was removed for “illegal activities and regulated goods.” Three days ago I was blocked from editing my bio and they didn’t specify why. Then yesterday, I received a notification that a video I had made over a month ago was removed for “harassment and bullying” though I was simply responding to harassment that I received.
TikTok is silencing creators from all marginalized communities. It allows people to body shame, but will not allow people like myself to defend my body. It allows transphobia, racism, and sexism but will not allow people to speak against it or defend themselves from hate. They pride themselves on “diversity and inclusion” but what do those words actually mean when you’re not protecting marginalized people from hatred and policing their content?
Every day I wake up and I wonder if I’m going to be banned. I’ve worked very hard the past year to build the platform that I have and it’s incredibly frustrating to know how easily it could be taken down simply for trying to defend my existence and create content that resonates with people. I know that my experience is one that is shared with many other creators.
Not only is there the fear of being banned but there’s the fear of monetary loss. Some of use utilize the creator fund as well as sponsorships. What happens when the day comes that tiktok decides to ban those individuals? It’s a scary thought, especially when you consider the fact that we’re in a global pandemic and the creator fund is truly all some of us have. It would be one thing if we were all evil individuals who were promoting violence and hate, but we’re not. We’re just people who are unfairly targeted. If I am body shamed, I should have the right to defend myself and my body. If that somehow violates “community guidelines” then that is not a community that I wish to be a part of.