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Platform Sematary: On Techno-Feudalism and the TikTok Resurrection
Like Easter, January 19th, 2025, will be remembered in media history as the resurrection of TikTok. For those who may not be aware, TikTok became inaccessible to American users on the evening of January 18th. This followed numerous announcements and updates from Congress, the Supreme Court, and the outgoing executive branch stating that the app would not be saved. Consequently, TikTok users and content creators, including myself, spent most of January 18th attending what felt like a digital funeral or a season finale, with everything from long-lost family to returning cast members.
After several hours of using the app, it began to glitch before my eyes. I had no choice but to put my phone down and spend the evening creating a TikTok funeral playlist while reflecting on the good times we once had together. Since I typically spend Sundays hiking on the trails, I didn’t open the app that Sunday morning. But, to my surprise, I received a notification on my Apple Watch from TikTok while I was on my afternoon hike. When I checked the notification, I was informed that TikTok had returned after more than 12 hours of downtime.
Many people might have been excited about TikTok’s return, but I felt immediately suspicious. Upon opening the application, my suspicions were confirmed. On the home screen, users were told that TikTok was back due to negotiations with incoming President Donald Trump. This was one of several banners within the app that credited President Trump for the app’s revival (even though the President will not officially take office until January 20th).
This message was used to persuade the American public to associate the return of their favorite app with a particular political party and presidency. However, it has had the opposite…
