Plain English with Derek Thompson Should You Be Afraid of TikTok?
Apr 1, 2022
Taylor Lorenz and Drew Harwell, journalists from The Washington Post, dive into Facebook's underhanded tactics to tarnish TikTok's reputation. They discuss how leaked documents reveal Meta's campaign to blame TikTok for harmful trends while deflecting attention from its own controversies. The conversation highlights the irony of Facebook's smear strategy and raises crucial questions about data privacy related to TikTok's Chinese ownership. Both guests urge listeners to consider the broader implications of social media rivalries in the fight for user trust.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Devious Licks
- Targeted Victory tried to blame TikTok for the "devious licks" trend, which involved students vandalizing school property.
- However, this trend, along with others like "slap a teacher," actually originated on Facebook and was amplified by Facebook's PR campaign.
Facebook's Ironic Strategy
- Facebook's campaign against TikTok used dubious trends that originated on Facebook itself.
- This ironic strategy highlights Facebook's fear of TikTok's growing popularity.
Facebook's Motivation
- Facebook's declining user base and the rise of TikTok are key motivators for their smear campaign.
- This campaign aims to discredit TikTok and regain market share.