On with Kara Swisher TikTok Is Changing How We Talk & How We Vote
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Jul 21, 2025 
Adam Aleksic, a Harvard-educated linguist and author of Algospeak, dives into the fascinating ways social media is reshaping our language and identities. He discusses the emergence of euphemisms and new vocabularies designed to navigate censorship, like 'unalive' for sensitive topics. The impact of TikTok on political communication is also explored, highlighting how it connects voters to modern figures more effectively than traditional politicians. Aleksic emphasizes the role of humor and relatability in political discourse while examining the ownership of language in the digital realm.
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Algorithmic Influence on Language
- The word "unalive" emerged as a euphemism on TikTok to evade content suppression related to sensitive topics.
- This illustrates how algorithmic moderation shapes language both online and offline.
Multi-layered Emoji Communication
- Emojis like the watermelon serve multi-layered communication, signaling group membership and circumventing moderation.
- Users perform both for other users and the algorithm, highlighting surveillance awareness.
Algorithms Shape Communication
- Social media algorithms massively influence how we communicate, amplifying attention-grabbing language.
- Platforms incentivize language change by rewarding content that holds viewers' attention.
