
From gr*pists to nip nops, how self-censorship shapes the language of TikTok
09 Jul 2025
• 33 min
• EN
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
From "Code Switch"
Comments
Add comment Feedback