When Algorithmic Glitches Only Target Critical Voices
📰 THE STORY: Axios reports on mounting censorship allegations against TikTok, with users unable to locate content related to ICE raids and the killing of two civilians. This comes as California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a probe into TikTok for 'censoring Trump-critical content,' and Meta began blocking links to 'ICE List,' a site identifying DHS employees. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU:
Historical Context: This 'glitch' narrative conveniently emerges as state violence, in this case by ICE, sparks public outrage and grassroots organizing. Recall the 2011 'Arab Spring' where Western media lauded social media as a tool for liberation, only for those same platforms to later collaborate with governments to suppress dissent. In 2019, Facebook, Twitter, and Google all admitted to
working with governments globally to 'combat foreign interference,' a broad term often used to justify censorship of inconvenient narratives. Double Standard: When governments like Russia or China are accused of internet censorship, Western media rightly decries it as an attack on free speech. Yet, when US-aligned platforms like TikTok (under pressure from Washington) or Meta allegedly suppress
content critical of US government agencies like ICE, it's framed as a 'technical issue' or a 'glitch.' The narrative shifts from state-sponsored oppression to accidental malfunction, selectively defending 'free speech' depending on whose interests are being challenged. Follow the Money: The pressure on TikTok is well-documented, with US lawmakers pushing for bans or forced sales, citing 'national