Life “After” TikTok: Navigating Media, Oligarchies, and Censorship

Google search of TikTok.

*By the time this article will be published we will know if TikTok has been banned or not. 

TikTok getting banned on January 19th has been a long, uncertain process filled with dread. Many users are hoping Congress will allow the app to stay. The app has become a place to share comedy, recipes, hidden gems around the world, and much more. For some, TikTok has become a source of income or even helped them achieve their career goals. Perhaps the most significant impact TikTok has had is in the realm of news. Without it, I would never have learned about the ongoing events in Gaza, who Luigi Mangione is, or the recent oligarchic shifts happening in both Texas and the federal government.

I came across a Tiktok where James Talarico declared Texas was facing an oligarchy. He states two West Texan Billionaires, Tim Dunn, and Ferris Wilks, are taking over the state government. These oil oligarchs have spent more than $100 million dollars in efforts to ban abortion, ban books, and shut down Texas public schools. Talarico argues they've already bought the governor, the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, and the state senate. And now, he warns, they're coming for the Texas House next.

But it doesn’t stop there. The oligarchy extends into our national government as well. Take the push to ban TikTok, for example. Billionaire media owners such as Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Patrick Soon-Shiong are a threat to media literacy and democracy. When a small group of people who hold more wealth than the bottom half of society combined use that power to control the media, it’s a serious problem. They pour massive amounts of money into backing political candidates who will protect their interests, not the people’s. With that kind of economic and political influence, they shape the decisions that affect the entire nation.

So, where do we begin with all of this? Just to be clear, these are my opinions, and I’m sure there are other ways to approach it.

Girl on her computer.

1. Don’t rely on just one style of news. TikTok is a decent starting point to get information, but it shouldn’t be the end of your research. With TikTok (probably) gone, it’s time to look into a more reliable news outlet. I learned a lot about James Talarico and the two billionaires through Google, and that wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t stumbled upon that TikTok. So, do your own research! We are great at stalking our exes, so let’s put that energy into stalking people in politics.

2. Pay attention to media ownership. Who owns the outlet you’re getting your news from? Is it a reliable source or a billionaire-backed media giant? Media ownership tells you a lot about potential biases in the news. The Big Six media companies, Comcast, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount Global, Sony, and Fox, control a massive chunk of what we see and hear in the U.S. Understand who’s pulling the strings behind the content you're consuming.

3. Think about the companies you’re supporting. In a capitalist society, it’s crucial to be aware of where your money’s going. When you buy clothes, groceries, or skincare products, are you supporting companies that align with your values? Are they run by billionaires who care more about profits than the planet or social justice? Being a conscious consumer means questioning the products you buy and the companies you support.

4. Know what you stand for. What values matter most to you? Is it freedom of the press, justice, human rights, education? Start by identifying what matters to you at the local, state, and national levels. Your values will guide your actions.

5. Take collective action! In a capitalist society system, when we stop supporting certain companies, we make a statement. It happened with the Starbucks and McDonald’s strikes when people found out those companies supported bombing Gaza. Recently, Meta’s stocks declined as people deleted their Instagram and Facebook profiles and joined RedNote, a Chinese app, as a form of protest against TikTok being banned. The message? Consumers have power. Watching Americans move to RedNote was such a power move. It shows that, as consumers, we have the choice to decide where we want to invest our energy. We control where our attention goes and what we support.

6. Vote and demand representation. Above all, we need to show up at the polls. Vote for people who represent your values and make sure you’re informed about who holds power in politics. After all, the people we elect have the power to shape the future we want.

I’ll admit, I’m still working on a lot of the things I’ve suggested. But as we head into another presidency with Trump and the ongoing concentration of media ownership in the hands of billionaires, it’s more important than ever to stay aware of what’s happening behind the scenes. Understanding ourselves, our values, and our consumer habits, while actively voting for a better future, is the way forward. It’s about pushing for a society with more economic equity, especially here in the United States. To anyone reading this, I hope we all work towards a more just society for everyone, and, fingers crossed, that TikTok hasn’t been banned.

A girl is holding a “More Equality More Love” sign.