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{{Short description|Conservative Twitter account}}
{{pp-protected|reason=Persistent [[WP:Vandalism|vandalism]]|small=yes}}
{{Copy edit|date=April 2022}}
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| alt = The planetary symbols for Mars and Venus in cyan and magenta respectively, in homage of TikTok's logo. In the center is the text Libs of (italicized) and TikTok.
| caption = Libs of TikTok's [[Twitter]] avatar.
| other_names =
| years_active = April 2021{{snd}}present
| website = {{Twitter}}
}}
'''@libsoftiktok''', also known as '''Libs of TikTok''', is a [[Twitter]] user known for reposting content created by [[American Left|left-wing]], [[Modern liberalism in the United States|liberal]], and [[LGBT]] [[TikTok]] accounts
The person behind Libs of TikTok remained anonymous until
== Biography ==
The account's creator endeavored to stay anonymous, appearing in newspaper and television interviews under the condition of anonymity.<ref name="wapo"/> However, in April 2022, details began to surface about Libs of TikTok's identity. [[Software developer]] Travis Brown researched the history and named Chaya Raichik as the account's creator.<ref name="wapo"/> On April 19, 2022, ''The Washington Post'' published an article by journalist [[Taylor Lorenz]]
Lorenz has stood by her reporting<ref name=":8" /> and accused conservatives of trying to "sow doubt and discredit journalism".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stelter |first=Brian |date=2022-04-21 |title=Taylor Lorenz discusses 'Libs of TikTok' and her reporting practices |url=https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/reliable-sources/episodes/98660065-5010-4ec2-b913-ae7e0168a052 |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=[[CNN]]}}</ref> Cameron Barr, a senior managing editor at the ''Post'', defended the article, stating that "Lorenz is a diligent and accomplished journalist whose reporting methods comport entirely with the ''Washington Post's'' professional standards" and claimed that the ''Post'' "did not publish or link to any details about [Raichik's] personal life".<ref name="TheHill" /> In response, Libs of TikTok said that the article did include a link with personal information that was removed.<ref name=":0" /> A spokesperson for the ''Post'' told [[Fox News]] that its report "linked to publicly available professional information" and that the ''Post'' had removed a link in the article to personal information about Raichik.<ref name=":02" /> According to ''[[The Times]]'', "supporters of Lorenz meanwhile pointed out that Raichik's followers were only too enthusiastic about doxxing when it came to teachers being smeared as
Following the publication of the article from the ''Post'', a separate Twitter user, @deletedtweet161, who tracks deleted posts, said that Libs of TikTok deleted "at least 20 tweets" over several days. 2,795 tweets had been deleted since the creation of the account, with many tweets being deleted to get access to the account restored following Twitter's suspension.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" /> Libs of TikTok gained about 200,000 new Twitter followers in the day after the article was published.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Wiggins |first=Christopher |date=2022-04-20 |title=Anti-LGBTQ+ 'Libs of TikTok' Exposed, Conservatives Are Extremely Mad |url=https://www.advocate.com/media/2022/4/20/anti-lgbtq-libs-tiktok-exposed-conservatives-are-extremely-mad |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=[[The Advocate (LGBT magazine)|The Advocate]]
▲On April 19, 2022, ''The Washington Post'' published an article by journalist [[Taylor Lorenz]] on Libs of TikTok which further publicized the identity of the account owner as Raichik, and provided personal details, including that Raichik claimed to work in [[real estate]] and was [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox Jewish]], details which were scraped from Raichik's older public Twitter account biography.<ref name="wapo" /> According to ''[[The Daily Dot]]'', the revelation of the account's identity "ignited a media firestorm".<ref name=":1" /> The article drew criticism from [[Conservatism in the United States|American conservatives]] who accused Lorenz of doxxing, of [[antisemitism]] for mentioning Raichik's religion, and of [[hypocrisy]] for having previously spoken out against [[Cyberbullying|online harassment]].<ref name="TheHill">{{Cite web |last1=Mastrangelo |first1=Dominic |date=April 19, 2022 |title=Washington Post defends Taylor Lorenz reporting after story on 'Libs of TikTok' Twitter account |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/media/3273533-washington-post-defends-taylor-lorenz-reporting-after-story-on-libsoftiktok-twitter-account/ |access-date=April 20, 2022 |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Kampeas |first=Ron |date=April 21, 2022 |title=Twitter activist behind far-right 'Libs of TikTok' revealed to be US Orthodox Jew |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/twitter-activist-behind-far-right-libs-of-tiktok-revealed-to-be-us-orthodox-jew/ |access-date=April 22, 2022 |website=[[The Times of Israel]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Quay |first=Grayson |date=April 19, 2022 |title=Conservatives complain of 'doxxing' after exposé reveals woman behind 'Libs of TikTok' account |url=https://theweek.com/twitter/1012735/conservatives-complain-of-doxxing-after-expose-reveals-woman-behind-libs-of-tiktok |access-date=April 19, 2022 |website=[[The Week]] |language=en}}</ref> Kat Bouza, senior news editor for ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', noted that only after Lorenz's reporting was conservative media "outraged": Prior to Lorenz's coverage, ''The Daily Dot'' published a "relatively thorough" investigation into the Libs of TikTok account which included "information that any savvy internet user could piece together to construct a probable doxxing."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bouza |first=Kat |date=April 19, 2022 |title=Taylor Lorenz Wrote About Libs of TikTok -- and Conservatives Are Having a Meltdown Over It |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/libs-of-tiktok-expose-taylor-lorenz-1339595/ |url-access=limited |access-date=April 21, 2022 |website=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> Raichik and some conservatives also accused Lorenz of harassment for visiting the home of Raichik's relatives as part of her reporting.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" />
▲Cameron Barr, a senior managing editor at the ''Post'', defended the article, stating that "Lorenz is a diligent and accomplished journalist whose reporting methods comport entirely with the ''Washington Post's'' professional standards" and claimed that the ''Post'' "did not publish or link to any details about [Raichik's] personal life".<ref name="TheHill" /> In response, Libs of TikTok said that the article did include a link with personal information that was removed.<ref name=":0" /> A spokesperson for the ''Post'' told [[Fox News]] that its report "linked to publicly available professional information" and that the ''Post'' had removed a link in the article to personal information about Raichik.<ref name=":02" /> According to ''[[The Times]]'', "supporters of Lorenz meanwhile pointed out that Raichik's followers were only too enthusiastic about doxxing when it came to teachers being smeared as [[Pedophilia|paedophiles]]."<ref name=":6" />
▲Following the publication of the article from the ''Post'', a separate Twitter user, @deletedtweet161, who tracks deleted posts, said that Libs of TikTok deleted "at least 20 tweets" over several days. 2,795 tweets had been deleted since the creation of the account, with many tweets being deleted to get access to the account restored following Twitter's suspension.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" /> Libs of TikTok gained about 200,000 new Twitter followers in the day after the article was published.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Wiggins |first=Christopher |date=2022-04-20 |title=Anti-LGBTQ+ 'Libs of TikTok' Exposed, Conservatives Are Extremely Mad |url=https://www.advocate.com/media/2022/4/20/anti-lgbtq-libs-tiktok-exposed-conservatives-are-extremely-mad |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=[[The Advocate (LGBT magazine)|The Advocate]] |language=en}}</ref>
== Content ==
|
Revision as of 10:22, 28 April 2022
@libsoftiktok | |
---|---|
Years active | April 2021 – present |
Website | Libs of TikTok on Twitter |
@libsoftiktok, also known as Libs of TikTok, is a Twitter user known for reposting content created by left-wing, liberal, and LGBT TikTok accounts in a derogatory manner.[1][2] The account has over 1 million followers as of April 2022[3] and has become influential among American conservatives.[1]
The person behind Libs of TikTok remained anonymous until the user's identity was reported on in April 2022.[2][4]
Biography
The account was created in November 2020 as a personal account. Before becoming the Libs of Tiktok account, the Twitter user downplayed the severity of COVID-19, promoted the conspiracy theory that the 2020 United States presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump through election fraud and made posts showing that the Twitter user was present at the 2021 United States Capitol attack. The handle was later changed[when?] to @cuomomustgo, focusing on demanding the resignation of the then-Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo. The account also promoted efforts to recall the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom. By March 2021, the handle had changed to @houseplantpotus, a parody account tweeting as a houseplant in the White House of U.S. President Joe Biden. @houseplantpotus later became @libsoftiktok in April 2021.[4] After gaining popularity on Twitter, Libs of TikTok has since expanded to additional social media platforms, including Instagram, YouTube, Rumble, Gab, and Gettr; the account was also on TikTok, later banned[when?] for violating TikTok's community guidelines.[4] The account owner claims to run the account alone and said she moved from New York to California to work on the account full-time.[2]
The account's creator endeavored to stay anonymous, appearing in newspaper and television interviews under the condition of anonymity.[4] However, in April 2022, details began to surface about Libs of TikTok's identity. Software developer Travis Brown researched the history and named Chaya Raichik as the account's creator.[4] On April 19, 2022, The Washington Post published an article by journalist Taylor Lorenz which further publicized the identity of the account owner, and provided personal details, including that Raichik claimed to work in real estate and was Orthodox Jewish, details which were scraped from Raichik's older public Twitter account biography.[4] According to The Daily Dot, the revelation of the account's identity "ignited a media firestorm".[5] The article drew criticism from American conservatives who accused Lorenz of doxxing, antisemitism, and hypocrisy for having previously spoken out against online harassment.[6][7][8] Raichik and some conservatives also accused Lorenz of harassment for visiting the home of Raichik's relatives as part of her reporting.[9]
Lorenz has stood by her reporting[10] and accused conservatives of trying to "sow doubt and discredit journalism".[11] Cameron Barr, a senior managing editor at the Post, defended the article, stating that "Lorenz is a diligent and accomplished journalist whose reporting methods comport entirely with the Washington Post's professional standards" and claimed that the Post "did not publish or link to any details about [Raichik's] personal life".[6] In response, Libs of TikTok said that the article did include a link with personal information that was removed.[9] A spokesperson for the Post told Fox News that its report "linked to publicly available professional information" and that the Post had removed a link in the article to personal information about Raichik.[12] According to The Times, "supporters of Lorenz meanwhile pointed out that Raichik's followers were only too enthusiastic about doxxing when it came to teachers being smeared as paedophiles."[1]
Following the publication of the article from the Post, a separate Twitter user, @deletedtweet161, who tracks deleted posts, said that Libs of TikTok deleted "at least 20 tweets" over several days. 2,795 tweets had been deleted since the creation of the account, with many tweets being deleted to get access to the account restored following Twitter's suspension.[5][13] Libs of TikTok gained about 200,000 new Twitter followers in the day after the article was published.[14]
Twitter temporarily suspended Libs of TikTok twice for targeted harassment.[15] On April 13, 2022, Libs of TikTok was suspended for 12 hours for "hateful conduct."[16] Hours after being reinstated, Twitter suspended the account for a second time for another 12 hours.[17]
Content
Libs of TikTok promotes conservatism and anti-LGBT rhetoric. The account has targeted schools and teachers, referring to schools as "government run indoctrination camps" for the LGBT community, encouraged followers to contact schools that allowed transgender students to use bathrooms corresponding to their gender identity.[1][2][4]
Libs of TikTok has also said that adults teaching children about LGBT identities is abusive, argued that any teacher who comes out as gay to their students should be fired, falsely claimed that schools were putting litter boxes in bathrooms for students that identified as cats, and falsely claimed that students in second grade were being taught about furries. The account has called members of the LGBT community "literally evil", claimed that being gender non-conforming or being an ally of the LGBT community is a "mental illness", and deliberately misgendered transgender people. It has accused the LGBT community of grooming kids,[2][4][18] including Chasten Buttigieg and The Trevor Project organization in since-deleted tweets.[5][13]
Libs of TikTok has endorsed and defended incidents of police brutality and denied systemic racism.[19] The account's "early content focused on TikTok videos of ostensible progressives performing cringeworthy songs about their love of Anthony Fauci and vaccinations."[19]
The most popular video posted on Libs of TikTok with 5.7 million views features a dispute over racism at Arizona State University involving two students who were told to leave a multicultural center.[19]
Media attention
In August 2021, podcastor Joe Rogan began promoting the account on The Joe Rogan Experience, leading to a large increase in followers. That same month, lawyer and Republican Party operative Grant Lally filed a trademark for Libs of TikTok as a "news reporter service."[4] The account has been promoted by Donald Trump Jr., by journalist Glenn Greenwald and by political commentators Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham; has been featured in the New York Post, The Federalist, The Post Millennial, Fox News and in other right-wing news outlets; and its posts have been retweeted by Meghan McCain.[4][9] In speaking on the Parental Rights in Education bill, often referred to by critics as the "Don't Say Gay bill", Ron DeSantis's press secretary Christina Pushaw credited the account for "opening her eyes" on LGBT education.[4]
Prior to being revealed as the account creator, Raichik was interviewed anonymously on several occasions, during which she boasted that posts from the account led to the firings of several teachers. Raichik encouraged followers to join local school boards in order to remove teachers who teach about gender and sexuality.[4]
On April 19, 2022, Seth Dillon, the CEO of Christian conservative satire site The Babylon Bee, announced a partnership with Libs of TikTok.[12]
Elon Musk has liked a tweet from Libs of TikTok.[19]
Impact and reception
An English teacher in Oklahoma said that they had been harassed and sent death threats before eventually being fired after a video they posted about supporting LGBT youth was reposted by Libs of TikTok.[20][21] Oklahoma Republican Senate candidate Jackson Lahmeyer, accused the teacher of being a "predator", though some parents took issue with this remark and considered the teacher's class a “safe haven” for LGBTQ students.[21] A teacher in California was placed on administrative leave after a video they produced joking about pledging allegiance to a Pride flag was reposted by Libs of TikTok.[22] On a conservative podcast, Raichik said that "It's not easy to be the one responsible for that, for someone losing their job. On the other hand, I mean these people, some of them are literally evil, and they are grooming kids."[7]
YouTuber Tim Pool and The Daily Wire CEO Jeremy Boreing paid for a billboard displayed in Times Square that attacked Lorenz and the Post. Lorenz objected to the billboard on Twitter, resulting in a Twitter feud between her and Pool.[23]
Another Orthodox Jew named Chaya Raichik, a stay-at-home mom who grew up in Los Angeles, was cyberbullied by hundreds of people online who mistook her for the person behind Libs of TikTok. She also had her address posted online.[24]
Response to account content
According to The Jerusalem Post, some "characterize Libs of TikTok as a project that farms political outrage, especially against LGBTQ+ people, by posting videos with incendiary framing", while others "claim that all she does is curate and repost content that highlights American left-wing extremism and policies."[10] Reporting by Slate noted that "Raichik's feed is colored by an intense hostility to liberals generally, but she holds an especially pronounced animosity toward LGBTQ people, city dwellers, and Black people who have been killed at the hands of police."[19]
Gillian Branstetter, a media strategist for the American Civil Liberties Union, said that "The role I've seen this account playing is finding new characters for right-wing propaganda," and "it's relying on the endless stream of content from TikTok and the Internet to cast any individual trans person as a new villain in their story." Ari Drennen, the LGBTQ program director for left-leaning media watchdog group Media Matters for America, said that "Libs of TikTok is basically acting as a wire service for the broader right-wing media ecosystem," adding that the account has "been shaping public policy in a real way, and affecting teachers' ability to feel safe in their classrooms".[4][14] Christopher Wiggins of The Advocate argued that "LibsOfTikTok is voice in an overall climate of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric that some correlate to an increase of anti-LGBTQ+ incidents."[14]
Bill Zeiser of The Spectator defended Libs of TikTok from criticism, saying, "[Raichik] just amplifies the videos that these people have publicly offered, and adds her opinion that these things are disgusting".[25] Bethany Mandel of Deseret News argued that Libs of TikTok "posts go viral, not because of anything she says, but because the videos showcase the ideology and agenda of the far left in their own words."[26] Brendan O'Neill of Spiked said Libs of TikTok "has exposed just how insidious and dangerous woke indoctrination can be."[27]
Response to identity reveal
Bonnie Kristian of The Week argued, "The person behind Libs of TikTok doesn't matter much, not because the account isn't influential (it is, including with lawmakers), but because conspiracism is communal now", adding that "Lorenz's exposé largely missed the point."[28] Kat Rosenfield of UnHerd called the Post article "an unmasking worthy of a demented superhero story: the exposure, after months of intrigue, of the elusive political operative known as Libs of TikTok", adding that "Ultimately, it's hard to know what Libs of TikTok’s greater sin is: being wrong, or being popular."[29]
Kara Alaimo, a Hofstra University professor and former Obama Administration staffer writing for NBC News, dismissed criticism regarding identifying the individual running the account, arguing in a NBC News opinion piece that "The people in need of protection here are those who are being targeted with hate simply because of their identities — not the people who are hurling the abuse, like Raichik."[30] Similarly, Kaitlyn Tiffany of The Atlantic argued that "where the term once defined a category, it now expresses an emotion. Whoever feels doxxed will claim to have been doxxed."[31] Angie Speaks of Newsweek argued that the reveal of the person behind Libs of TikTok "is part of a larger trend in which liberals use legacy and social media to silence dissent."[32]
The NGO StopAntisemitism.org criticized Lorenz for mentioning Raichik's religious identity as an Orthodox Jew, arguing that mentioning her religion was unnecessary.[10] Andrew Silow-Carroll of The Times of Israel defended the inclusion of her religious beliefs in the article, saying that it "shed light on the growing connection between faith and right-wing politics".[33]
References
- ^ a b c d Tomlinson, Hugh (April 22, 2022). "Libs of Tiktok: Twitter provocateur gives Republicans new weapon in war on liberals". The Times. London. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Goforth, Claire (April 18, 2022). "Libs of TikTok—the influential, mystery Twitter account hailed by mainstream conservatives—attended Jan. 6 Capitol protest". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on April 19, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
- ^ "Libs of TikTok". Social Blade. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Lorenz, Taylor (April 19, 2022). "Meet the woman behind Libs of TikTok, secretly fueling the right's outrage machine". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on April 19, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
- ^ a b c Goforth, Claire (April 20, 2022). "Libs of TikTok's deleted tweet accusing anti-teen suicide organization of 'grooming' resurfaces". The Daily Dot.
- ^ a b Mastrangelo, Dominic (April 19, 2022). "Washington Post defends Taylor Lorenz reporting after story on 'Libs of TikTok' Twitter account". The Hill. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
- ^ a b Kampeas, Ron (April 21, 2022). "Twitter activist behind far-right 'Libs of TikTok' revealed to be US Orthodox Jew". The Times of Israel. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ Quay, Grayson (April 19, 2022). "Conservatives complain of 'doxxing' after exposé reveals woman behind 'Libs of TikTok' account". The Week. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
- ^ a b c Halpert, Madeline (April 19, 2022). "Right-Wing Figures Attack Journalist Taylor Lorenz For Revealing Creator Of 'Libs Of TikTok'". Forbes. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
- ^ a b c Starr, Michael (April 21, 2022). "US Right, Left clash on orthodox Jewish activist's 'doxxing'". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
- ^ Stelter, Brian (April 21, 2022). "Taylor Lorenz discusses 'Libs of TikTok' and her reporting practices". CNN. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
- ^ a b Wulfsohn, Joseph A. (April 19, 2022). "Washington Post's Taylor Lorenz doxxes Libs of TikTok days after decrying online harassment of women". Fox News. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
- ^ a b Tracer, Dan (April 20, 2022). "'Libs of TikTok' deletes thousands of tweets after owner is exposed, but the Internet remembers forever". Queerty.
- ^ a b c Wiggins, Christopher (April 20, 2022). "Anti-LGBTQ+ 'Libs of TikTok' Exposed, Conservatives Are Extremely Mad". The Advocate. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
- ^ Alaimo, Kara (April 21, 2022). "There's a proper term for what happened to the 'Libs of TikTok' creator. It's not 'doxxing.'". NBC News. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ^ "Twitter suspends conservative 'Libs of TikTok' account for 12 hours over 'hateful conduct'". Fox News. April 13, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- ^ Creitz, Charles (April 15, 2022). "Libs of Tik Tok responds to second Twitter suspension hours after reinstatement: 'The left feels threatened'". Fox News. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
- ^ Binder, Matt (April 26, 2022). "Libs of TikTok tweeted fake accusations about a school teaching second graders about furries". Mashable. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Stahl, Jeremy (April 27, 2022). "The Hate-Fueled and Hugely Influential World of Libs of TikTok". Slate. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
- ^ Wakefield, Lily (April 20, 2022). "Teacher targeted by Libs of TikTok sent death threats and lost his job". PinkNews. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
- ^ a b Martin, Scott (April 14, 2022). "Parents divided after former Owasso teacher resigns following viral TikTok videos". KOKI-TV. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
- ^ Parsons, Vic (August 31, 2021). "Teacher who joked about students pledging allegiance to Pride flag 'removed from classroom'". PinkNews. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ^ Richman, Jackson (April 26, 2022). "YouTuber Puts Up Massive Billboard Attacking Taylor Lorenz For Report on Libs of TikTok". Mediaite. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
- ^ Keene, Louis (April 21, 2022). "Mistaken for a right-wing media star, she met a cyberbullying mob". The Forward. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ^ Zeiser, Bill (April 20, 2022). "What @LibsOfTikTok exposed". The Spectator. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
- ^ Mandel, Bethany (April 21, 2022). "Perspective: Where an article about the 'Libs of TikTok' went wrong". Deseret News. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ^ O'Neill, Brendan (April 20, 2022). "Why they loathe Libs of TikTok". Spiked. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ^ Kristian, Bonnie (April 19, 2022). "Out with Alex Jones-style conspiracy theorizing. In with Libs of TikTok". The Week. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ^ Rosenfield, Kat (April 21, 2022). "Why Libs of TikTok terrifies the media". UnHerd. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ^ Alaimo, Kara (April 21, 2022). "There's a proper term for what happened to the 'Libs of TikTok' creator. It's not 'doxxing.'". NBC News. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
- ^ Tiffany, Kaitlyn (April 22, 2022). "'Doxxing' Means Whatever You Want It To". The Atlantic. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
- ^ Speaks, Angie (April 19, 2022). "The 'Libs of Tik Tok' exposé is part of a new trend: shaming dissenters". Newsweek. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ^ Silow-Carroll, Andrew (April 25, 2022). "Why the 'Libs of TikTok' founder's Jewish identity was fair game". The Times of Israel. Retrieved April 26, 2022.