Social media platforms are not always showing us everything we think they are. Cassie Ho , the founder of Popflex, recently discovered a surprising practice on TikTok that's changing the way content spreads online. She found that TikTok appears to hide videos that mention other social media sites like YouTube or Instagram, noticeably reducing their visibility.
To test this, Ho conducted a simple experiment. She created two nearly identical videos, with one key difference: in one, she said "YouTube," and in the other, she used "YT." The results were striking. The video mentioning "YouTube" received few views, while the one using "YT" reached an impressive 3.7 million viewers. Taking her investigation further, Ho posted the same video on both TikTok and Instagram. On TikTok, it attracted only 3,000 views in 16 hours, but on Instagram, it reached 1.5 million viewers in just 13 hours.
This discovery has great implications for content creators and casual users alike. It reveals that the words we use in our posts can affect how many people see our content. Moreover, this practice isn't limited to TikTok. Other platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), seem to be employing similar tactics.
In this article, we'll explore the reasons behind these hidden practices, their impact on content creators, and the clever workarounds people have developed. We'll also discuss what these practices mean for the average social media user. What you learn might surprise you and change how you interact with your favorite platforms.
TikTok vs Instagram
TikTok's hidden rules
TikTok's hidden rules, as uncovered by Cassey Ho's experiments, reveal a complex and potentially concerning aspect of how the platform manages content visibility. Ho's initial test involved posting two nearly identical videos, with the distinctive difference being the use of "YouTube" in one and "YT" in the other. The stark contrast in viewership - with the "YT" video reaching 3.7 million viewers while the "YouTube" video languished in obscurity - points to a deliberate effort by TikTok to suppress content that mentions rival platforms explicitly.
This finding was further corroborated by Ho's subsequent experiment, where she created a video mentioning Instagram and YouTube multiple times. When posted on TikTok, this video attracted a mere 3,000 views in 16 hours. However, the same content shared on Instagram reached 1.5 million viewers in just 13 hours. This surprising difference in engagement across platforms strongly suggests that TikTok's algorithm is programmed to limit the reach of content that promotes or even casually mentions competing social media services.
The implications of these hidden rules are far-reaching for content creators and users alike. For creators, it presents a big challenge in cross-promoting their presence on various platforms, potentially limiting their ability to grow their audience across different social media ecosystems. This practice effectively forces creators to choose between maintaining their reach on TikTok and openly discussing their presence on other platforms, which could be necessary for their overall online strategy.
From a user perspective, these hidden rules may be subtly shaping the content they encounter, potentially limiting their exposure to information about other platforms or services. This could lead to a more insular experience on TikTok, where users are less likely to discover content that might encourage them to explore other social media environments.
Moreover, these practices raise important questions about fair competition in the digital space. By suppressing mentions of rival platforms, TikTok could be seen as engaging in anti-competitive behavior, using its algorithm to maintain its user base and prevent migration to other services. This approach challenges the notion of an open and interconnected internet, where users can freely discuss and move between different platforms and services.
Secret language on TikTok
The emergence of a "secret language" on TikTok is a fascinating development that showcases the ingenuity and adaptability of the platform's user base. As creators and users became aware of TikTok's content suppression tactics, they began developing creative workarounds to communicate effectively while avoiding algorithmic detection.
This secret language manifests in various forms. For instance, instead of directly mentioning YouTube, users might refer to it as "YT" or "The Red Site." Twitch becomes "The Purple App" in this coded lexicon. Even common words that might trigger content filters, such as "dead" or "killed," are replaced with more innocuous terms like "unalived." This linguistic evolution extends beyond mere word substitution; users have also adopted visual and symbolic communication methods to convey their messages.
For example, rather than using the phrase "link in bio," which might reduce a video's visibility, creators have turned to emojis like ⛓️🔗 to direct viewers to external resources. This symbolic communication allows users to convey complex messages while sidestepping potential algorithmic suppression.
The ingenuity of TikTok users doesn't stop at language. Some creators have discovered that TikTok's system can interpret text displayed in videos. In response, they've developed visual tricks, such as covering the entire screen while discussing certain topics, to help their videos reach a wider audience. This demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the platform's capabilities and limitations, as well as a willingness to experiment with different content creation techniques.
The development of this secret language reflects a broader trend in online communication, where users adapt their behavior in response to platform policies and algorithmic decision-making. It showcases the dynamic relationship between users and platforms, with each side continually evolving in response to the other's actions.
This phenomenon also raises intriguing questions about the nature of language and communication in the digital age. As platforms become more sophisticated in their content moderation and distribution strategies, users are compelled to become more creative and nuanced in their expression. This could potentially lead to the development of platform-specific dialects or communication styles, further fragmenting online discourse.
Moreover, the existence of this secret language highlights the tension between platforms' desire for control and users' need for free expression. While TikTok's policies may aim to create a certain type of user experience or maintain platform integrity, the resulting linguistic workarounds demonstrate users' strong desire to communicate on their own terms, even in the face of algorithmic obstacles.
TikTok's no-no words
Words You Can't Say On TikTok 2024
The existence of TikTok's "no-no words" list represents a significant aspect of the platform's content moderation strategy. This list, which can be found by searching for "TikTok banned words list 2024" on Google or through TikTok's own Discover page, provides insight into what the platform deems inappropriate or undesirable content. The scope of this list extends far beyond merely discouraging mentions of rival platforms, encompassing a wide range of terms and phrases that TikTok has determined could be problematic.
This practice of maintaining a list of discouraged words has profound implications for content creation and freedom of expression on the platform. Content creators are faced with a complex challenge: they must craft engaging, authentic content while navigating an invisible minefield of words that could potentially limit their reach. This balancing act requires creators to develop an intimate understanding of TikTok's content policies and to constantly adapt their language and presentation style.
The existence of such a list raises critical questions about the nature of soft censorship in social media. While TikTok isn't outright banning the use of these words, the reduced visibility that comes with using them effectively suppresses certain types of content or expressions. This can lead to a form of self-censorship among creators who, fearing reduced reach, may avoid certain topics or alter their natural way of speaking to conform to the platform's preferences.
Furthermore, the implementation of this word list could have unintended consequences on public discourse within the TikTok ecosystem. By discouraging the use of certain words or phrases, TikTok may be inadvertently shaping the nature of conversations on its platform. This could result in the underrepresentation of certain viewpoints or the oversimplification of complex topics as users strive to work within the constraints imposed by the platform.
The dynamic nature of language and internet culture also presents a challenge for maintaining such a list. As new slang terms emerge and the connotations of existing words evolve, TikTok must continually update its list to remain relevant. This ongoing process of linguistic policing requires good resources and raises questions about who gets to decide which words are acceptable and which are not.
Similar issues on other platforms
The content suppression tactics observed on TikTok are not unique to this platform. Other major social media sites, particularly X (formerly Twitter), have been found to employ similar strategies. This widespread adoption of such practices points to a broader trend in the social media industry, where platforms are increasingly trying to control the flow of information and keep users within their own ecosystems.
On X, users have noticed that posts mentioning competing platforms like Substack, TikTok, Mastodon, or Threads tend to receive less visibility. Even including links to external websites can result in reduced exposure for a post. This practice extends beyond just mentions of rival social media platforms, encompassing a wide range of external content that might draw users away from X.
In response to these restrictions, X users have developed their own set of workarounds and coded language. For instance, to share a TikTok account without triggering X's suppression mechanisms, users might write "tt@kly.wu" instead of using the actual TikTok username. This adaptation demonstrates the resilience and creativity of social media users in the face of platform restrictions.
The similarities in tactics across different platforms suggest a convergence in how social media companies approach content distribution and user retention. This trend has great implications for the open nature of the internet and the ability of users to freely share information across different platforms.
Moreover, these practices raise important questions about competition and antitrust issues in the digital space. By limiting the visibility of content that mentions or links to rival platforms, these social media giants could be seen as engaging in anti-competitive behavior. This has the potential to stifle innovation and limit user choice in the social media landscape.
The adoption of these tactics by multiple platforms also creates a challenging environment for content creators who aim to build a presence across various social media sites. Creators are forced to develop platform-specific strategies and may find it increasingly difficult to cross-promote their content or guide their audience to their presence on other platforms.
TikTok suppressed on X
Social media's walled gardens
The practices used by TikTok and X point to a bigger trend in social media: the creation of "walled gardens." These platforms are trying to keep users within their own ecosystems, discouraging them from engaging with content from other sites.
This approach has several effects:
It makes it harder for content creators to build audiences across multiple platforms. Users are subtly pushed to stay within one platform rather than exploring others. Creators might feel pressured to focus all their efforts on a single platform to reach the most people. There's a risk of creating isolated communities with limited exposure to different viewpoints.
Tips for content creators
Given these challenges, content creators need to adapt their strategies to stay visible and keep their audience engaged. Here are some helpful tips:
Learn about each platform's rules and known tactics for limiting content visibility. Develop creative ways to express your ideas without using words that might trigger content suppression. Create unique content for each platform to encourage followers to engage with you across different sites. Keep a close eye on your content's performance. A sudden drop in engagement might mean you've accidentally used language that the platform doesn't like. Build strong relationships with your audience. Encourage direct communication and loyalty that goes beyond any single platform. Stay up-to-date with the latest changes in platform policies and how their algorithms work.
Conclusion
The discovery of these content suppression practices on major social media platforms reveals the complex nature of online content distribution. While platforms argue that these practices are meant to improve user experience, they raise important questions about fairness, competition, and user freedom.
As social media continues to change, it's important for users and content creators to stay informed about these hidden rules and find ways to work around them. The creativity shown by users in developing workarounds shows how resilient online communities can be when faced with algorithmic challenges.
The tension between platform control and user freedom is likely to remain a key issue in social media. Users and creators must stay informed about platform policies and develop strategies to navigate these complex ecosystems. Simultaneously, platforms must reckon with the broader implications of their policies on public discourse and market dynamics. The ongoing dialogue between these groups will shape the future of online communication and information sharing.
