Global InformationLibs of TikTok information
 Libs of TikTok's X avatar | |
| Formation | April 2021 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Chaya Raichik |
| Founded at | United States |
| Affiliations | Far-right politics,[a] anti-LGBT rhetoric[b] |
Libs of TikTok is a handle for various far-right[a] and anti-LGBT[b] social-media accounts operated by Chaya Raichik (/ˈxɑːjə ˈraɪtʃɪk/ KHAH-yə RY-chik),[10] a former real estate agent.[11][12][13] Raichik uses the accounts to repost content created by left-wing and LGBT people on TikTok, and on other social-media platforms, often with hostile, mocking, or derogatory commentary.[14][15] The accounts promote hate speech and transphobia, and spread false claims, especially relating to medical care of transgender children.[16][14][17][18] The Twitter account, also known by the handle @LibsofTikTok, has nearly 3 million followers as of February 2024[19][20] and has become influential among American conservatives and the political right.[12][15][21] Libs of TikTok's social-media accounts have received several temporary suspensions and a permanent suspension from TikTok.[22][23][24][25]
Some Libs of TikTok posts have resulted in harassment against teachers, medical providers, children's hospitals, libraries, LGBT venues,[12][26][27][28] and educational facilities, several of which having received bomb threats after being featured on a post.[29][30] Libs of TikTok posts regularly slur LGBT people, as well as those who provide mental-health services to LGBT youth and LGBT sex education to students, as "groomers".[c] Its followers "routinely attack individuals whose content is shared",[22] and several dozen incidents of online or real-life threats and harassment against a range of targets, including 21 bomb threats, have been linked to Libs of TikTok's tweets, especially those where Raichik singles out specific events, locations or people.[33][34][30]
Raichik created the Twitter account in November 2020, and, after adopting a series of different handles, she changed its name to @LibsofTikTok in April 2021. Later that year, the account began receiving media attention, including from conservative commentators and news outlets. Raichik remained anonymous until her identity was revealed in April 2022 by software developer Travis Brown and The Washington Post journalist Taylor Lorenz.[23] In August 2022, Libs of TikTok received substantial media attention after falsely claiming that gender-affirming hysterectomies were being provided to minors at the Boston Children's Hospital and at the Children's National Hospital. This resulted in harassment campaigns, including bomb threats, against both hospitals.[16] Libs of TikTok's videos have also been promoted by Russian and European disinformation networks, particularly a Kremlin-backed anti-LGBTQ disinformation campaign.[35]
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
- ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference
tuckwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Kelleher, Patrick (November 23, 2022). "JK Rowling 'likes' tweet by far-right, anti-LGBTQ+ Libs of TikTok". Pink News. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Kampeas-2022awas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Berjikian, Katherine (March 5, 2022). "'Libs of Tiktok': Twitter account targets LGBT+ teachers in the U.S." Euronews. Archived from the original on March 25, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
A popular Twitter account with over 1 million followers is targeting teachers promoting LGBTQ+ rights and inclusive education in the U.S.
- ^ Lavietes, Matt (October 31, 2022). "Far-right figures appear to be testing Twitter's boundaries for anti-LGBTQ speech". NBC News. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
The day before, within hours of Musk's Twitter acquisition, the far-right account Libs of TikTok — which has over 1.4 million Twitter followers and has largely built its following by mocking liberals — tweeted out a post with the word "groomer" written over a dozen times.
- ^ a b Kampeas, Ron (April 19, 2022). "The Twitter activist behind the far-right "Libs of TikTok" is an Orthodox Jew. Does that matter?". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
- ^ Aguiano, Dani (June 13, 2022). "Group of men storm Drag Queen Story Hour in California in possible hate crime". The Guardian. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
- ^ Tunney, Joseph (November 25, 2022). "Shopify won't cut ties with controversial Libs of TikTok". CBC News. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
- ^ Shapero, Julia (December 14, 2022). "Harassment reported at gender-affirming care providers in 21 states". The Hill. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
- ^ Raichik, Chaya (February 26, 2023). "From Libs of TikTok creator to author: Chaya Raichik releases new children's book No More Secrets". Libs of TikTok. Substack. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
- ^ Zadrozny, Brandy; McCausland, Phil (August 16, 2022). "Boston Children's Hospital warns employees over far-right online harassment campaign". NBC News. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
- ^ a b c Bond, Shannon (August 26, 2022). "Children's hospitals are the latest target of anti-LGBTQ harassment". All Things Considered. NPR. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
- ^ Hayden, Michael Edison (June 14, 2022). "Far-Right Influencers Hyped Coeur d'Alene Pride Before Patriot Front Showed Up". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
- ^ a b c Stahl, Jeremy (April 27, 2022). "The Hate-Fueled and Hugely Influential World of Libs of TikTok". Slate. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
- ^ a b 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 Cite error: The named reference
Lorenz-2022was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Milton, Josh (August 17, 2022). "Hospital hit with threats over false claims about treatment of trans kids". PinkNews. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
- ^ Sobey, Rick (August 17, 2022). "Boston Children's Hospital doctors facing violent threats after far-right groups spread 'misinformation'". Boston Herald. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
- ^ "Libs of TikTok". Social Blade. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
- ^ Jamison, Peter (August 26, 2022). "Children's hospital threatened after Libs of TikTok recording on trans hysterectomies". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
- ^ Halpert, Madeline (August 31, 2022). "Boston Children's Hospital Bomb Threat: How Right Wing Media Escalate Harassment Of LGBTQ-Friendly Places". Forbes. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ a b c Hansford, Amelia (August 18, 2022). "Hate-fuelled Libs of TikTok suspended from Facebook: 'Your move Twitter'". PinkNews. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
wapowas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Covucci, David (May 27, 2022). "Libs of TikTok suspended from Instagram, sparking outrage from its fans". The Daily Dot. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
- ^ Covucci, David (August 29, 2022). "Libs of TikTok suspended from Twitter in wake of Children's National Hospital audio recording". The Daily Dot. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
- ^ Dwoskin, Elizabeth; B. Merrill, Jeremy (September 20, 2022). "Trump's "big lie" fueled a new generation of social media influencers". Washington Post. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
- ^ "Chicago children's hospital ups security after "Libs of TikTok" social post". FOX 32 Chicago. September 20, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
inddragwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Owen, Tess (October 4, 2023). "Schools Report Bomb Threats Following Libs of Tiktok Anti-LGBTQ Posts". Vice. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
Ingram-2024was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Persaud-2022was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Gabbatt, Adam (June 18, 2022). "Anti-LGBTQ+ attacks by US extremist groups surge as right spews vitriol". The Guardian. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
- ^ Menn, Joseph (January 22, 2023). "Attacks on U.S. Jews and gays accelerate as hate speech grows on Twitter". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
- ^ Carless, Will (November 2, 2023). "When Libs of TikTok tweets, threats increasingly follow". USA Today. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
- ^ "How LibsOfTikTok Is Helping the Kremlin Boost Anti-LGBTQ Disinformation". Vice. August 30, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2023.