TikTok’s ban of the phrase “White Lives Matter,” a phrase criticized as tied to white nationalists, received attention again after it was recently popularized by rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.
A surge of interest in the phrase, often used as a response to the Black Lives Matter movement, came days after Ye wore a shirt displaying “White Lives Matter” at a fashion show on Oct. 3.
“The phrase may be associated with hateful behavior,” TikTok said in a display under the search. “TikTok is committed to keeping our community safe and working to prevent the spread of hate.”
The ban was initially put in place in 2020, a TikTok spokesperson told the Washington Examiner. The ban got attention on social and conservative media following the West drama, leading to a surge of interest in bans of the statement.
While “White Lives Matter” and “#whitelivesmatter” did not bring up any results on the platform, other variations, including the acronym for the phrase, were still successful in finding relevant content. As of Thursday morning, the majority of posts on TikTok were slamming Ye for wearing the outfit as well as appearing on Tucker Carlson to speak on the subject.
TikTok attracted controversy in July 2021 when its algorithm flagged posts mentioning “Black Lives Matter” as inappropriate.
Initially created as a response to “Black Lives Matter” in 2015, the line “White Lives Matter” has gained prominence among white nationalists and Neo-Nazis, according to the Anti-Defamation League. The phrase earned attention after West wore the shirt alongside conservative commentator Candace Owens at Fashion Week in Paris.
TikTok did not respond to requests for comment from the Washington Examiner.
* Article from: The Washington Examiner
