If this was happening during Trump's first term then I would agree with you, but this time we know who's working in the kitchen and half of this country specifically requested it lol. I don't really know how we fight back.
The majority of GOP voters really do not understand that they are in the pot at all, they know something or someone is cooking - and happy about it - but they think the chefs are there to feed them a nice meal.
That's right. They subscribe to the culture war but not the class war. I think that will shift once enough of them are out of a job and realize that their team isn't doing anything to help them.
I also had a visceral reaction to that return message and immediately deleted both my account and the app. 175 million Americans just got told that Donald Trump was saving their brain rot app (forgetting of course that he STARTED the ban).
The inauguration made me feel gross, but Tiktok's comeback made me feel even grosser. I can't bear to look at it. Though I will miss Christianity-Gone-Awry-Tok.
Donald Trump’s handling of the TikTok ban is a textbook example of psychological manipulation targeting Gen Z. Here’s how the strategy worked:
1. Manufactured Crisis
By framing TikTok as a national security threat, Trump exploited the illusory truth effect—repeating a claim until it felt true. Targeting TikTok, a Gen Z cultural hub, triggered reactance psychology, where restrictions fuel rebellion, making his eventual reversal more impactful.
2. Perception of Power
Trump’s decision to lift the ban created the illusion he was more powerful than Congress. This leveraged the halo effect, positioning him as an independent disruptor, resonating with Gen Z’s distrust of traditional institutions.
3. Oversimplified Narratives
The ban boiled down to “Trump vs. Congress,” exploiting Gen Z’s reliance on quick, surface-level content. This relied on heuristics—mental shortcuts that simplified the issue, obscuring the deeper manipulation at play.
Takeaway for Gen Z
Trump’s TikTok manoeuvre reveals how easily emotional triggers and oversimplified narratives can be used to manipulate even the most skeptical generation. The solution? Stay critical, dig deeper, and question who benefits from the spectacle.
Seems whatever changes were made during TikTok’s shut down are now controlling whether peoples posts get deleted. Controlling what information we have access to. It’s disgusting. I permanently deleted TikTok.
Seeing those messages about Trump was really eerie - the butt kiss so blatant. First thing I was shown was about the Palisades fire, yes, I want to see that. The next 3 vid were about US censorship! That was it. Deleted the app. I never loved the algorithm, it never seemed to get me. It’s seems for now the only rebellious actions I can take are small in this big world.
Please keep up your excellent reporting. Tomorrow will be a sad day for half of America. I don’t think we will ever understand how so many of our friends and neighbors and family members decided to vote for this monster. I love your writing.
This is the way. Why stay when you have just been manipulated by the app in the most egregious possible manner?
Reopening the app to see that message made me feel gross in a way I can't describe. We're so cooked.
We need to jump out of the pot before we boil and take a good, hard look at who is working in the kitchen.
If this was happening during Trump's first term then I would agree with you, but this time we know who's working in the kitchen and half of this country specifically requested it lol. I don't really know how we fight back.
The majority of GOP voters really do not understand that they are in the pot at all, they know something or someone is cooking - and happy about it - but they think the chefs are there to feed them a nice meal.
That's right. They subscribe to the culture war but not the class war. I think that will shift once enough of them are out of a job and realize that their team isn't doing anything to help them.
I also had a visceral reaction to that return message and immediately deleted both my account and the app. 175 million Americans just got told that Donald Trump was saving their brain rot app (forgetting of course that he STARTED the ban).
The inauguration made me feel gross, but Tiktok's comeback made me feel even grosser. I can't bear to look at it. Though I will miss Christianity-Gone-Awry-Tok.
The TikTok Ban: A Psychological Power Play
Donald Trump’s handling of the TikTok ban is a textbook example of psychological manipulation targeting Gen Z. Here’s how the strategy worked:
1. Manufactured Crisis
By framing TikTok as a national security threat, Trump exploited the illusory truth effect—repeating a claim until it felt true. Targeting TikTok, a Gen Z cultural hub, triggered reactance psychology, where restrictions fuel rebellion, making his eventual reversal more impactful.
2. Perception of Power
Trump’s decision to lift the ban created the illusion he was more powerful than Congress. This leveraged the halo effect, positioning him as an independent disruptor, resonating with Gen Z’s distrust of traditional institutions.
3. Oversimplified Narratives
The ban boiled down to “Trump vs. Congress,” exploiting Gen Z’s reliance on quick, surface-level content. This relied on heuristics—mental shortcuts that simplified the issue, obscuring the deeper manipulation at play.
Takeaway for Gen Z
Trump’s TikTok manoeuvre reveals how easily emotional triggers and oversimplified narratives can be used to manipulate even the most skeptical generation. The solution? Stay critical, dig deeper, and question who benefits from the spectacle.
GQ
I’m wondering if Trump has monetized the situation. For a (supposed) billionaire, he excels at begging—and shakedowns.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew gave money to Donold’s inauguration & bought some of his crypto coins 🪙
Yes, he’s been raking in cash for his inauguration—which the government pays for. So that inauguration fund looks like a slush fund to me.
Seems whatever changes were made during TikTok’s shut down are now controlling whether peoples posts get deleted. Controlling what information we have access to. It’s disgusting. I permanently deleted TikTok.
Seeing those messages about Trump was really eerie - the butt kiss so blatant. First thing I was shown was about the Palisades fire, yes, I want to see that. The next 3 vid were about US censorship! That was it. Deleted the app. I never loved the algorithm, it never seemed to get me. It’s seems for now the only rebellious actions I can take are small in this big world.
Seems it used to be more popular before it blatantly played games and picked a side
Did the same thing cuz I was so insulted
Please keep up your excellent reporting. Tomorrow will be a sad day for half of America. I don’t think we will ever understand how so many of our friends and neighbors and family members decided to vote for this monster. I love your writing.