Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez takes aim at TikTok for praising former President Trump, raising concerns about conservative influence on social media platforms.
At a Glance
- AOC criticizes TikTok for acknowledging Trump’s promise to delay the app’s ban
- Ocasio-Cortez emphasizes Trump is a private citizen without presidential powers
- The congresswoman expresses concern over right-wing influence on major social media platforms
- TikTok faces legal challenges requiring ByteDance to sell its U.S. operations or face a ban
AOC Slams TikTok’s Praise of Trump
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has unleashed a scathing critique of TikTok following the platform’s apparent endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
Because simply thanking the incoming president is a crime worse than…well, most things.
The controversy erupted after TikTok acknowledged Trump’s declaration to issue an Executive Order postponing the app’s U.S. ban, despite his current status as a private citizen. This move by the social media giant has sparked a heated debate about the influence of conservative voices on major online platforms.
Ocasio-Cortez, known for her outspoken nature, didn’t mince words when addressing the situation. She pointedly remarked on TikTok’s decision to refer to Trump as “President Trump” in their message to users, suggesting it indicates a private collaboration between the platform and the former president.
“First of all, Donald Trump is not president right now. He is a private citizen. He does not have access to presidential powers, he does not have the ability to do any of that. So, please understand that TikTok’s decision to name Trump in the notification is a choice. They are signaling that they are privately collaborating. They have agreed to privately collaborate with Donald Trump and the Trump administration,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said.
Does she ever get tired of the sound of her own voice?
Conservative Influence on Social Media
The congresswoman’s criticism extends beyond this single incident, touching on a broader concern about the growing conservative influence on major social media platforms. Ocasio-Cortez argues that this TikTok episode is symptomatic of a larger trend where right-wing narratives are gaining ground across various online spaces.
“What this effectively means is that every social media platform, mass social media platform in the United States, has been taken over by the right-wing,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said.
She specifically highlighted Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter (now X) and alleged manipulation of algorithms to boost right-wing content. The only exception she noted was the smaller platform Bluesky, which she sees as less influenced by conservative voices.
In other words: she doesn’t like people with whom she disagrees from having a voice online.
What, is she scared that people will…agree with them?
The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of ongoing legal challenges faced by TikTok. A federal appeals court has upheld a law requiring ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to sell its U.S. operations or face a potential ban. The deadline for this action was set for January 19, unless extended by the president.