From gr*pists to nip nops, how self-censorship shapes the language of TikTok

09 Jul 2025 • 33 min • EN
33 min
00:00
33:58
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Have you noticed people using terms like "unalive" and "pew pews" on social media? There's a reason for that: some people are changing the way they speak on TikTok and other social media platforms to bypass what they think are algorithm blocks. For some users, it's a fun game — but for others, self-censoring certain words is crucial to being able to share their lived experience. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

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