Podcast Summary: On the Media – "A Taxonomy of TikTok Panics"
Introduction In the January 4, 2023 episode of WNYC Studios' award-winning podcast, On the Media, hosts Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger delve into the sensationalized fears surrounding TikTok. Titled "A Taxonomy of TikTok Panics," the episode dissects the various moral panics ignited by the platform, comparing them to historical instances where new media technologies were blamed for societal issues. Through expert interviews and thorough analysis, the hosts aim to provide listeners with a nuanced understanding of media panics and their recurring nature.
Coordinated Panic: Manipulated Narratives The episode begins by exploring how certain TikTok-related fears are not organically generated but are instead the result of coordinated efforts. A prime example discussed is the "Devious Licks" trend, where students reportedly vandalize school property for TikTok likes. However, investigative reporting by Taylor Lorenz reveals that much of this narrative was amplified by Meta (Facebook’s parent company) hiring the Republican consulting firm Targeted Victory to disseminate negative stories about TikTok in local news markets. Lorenz states, “What myself and my colleague Drew Harwell revealed was that Meta had actually hired Targeted Victory... to convince parents and public officials across the country that TikTok was the real menace” (07:04).
Rumor Mill Panic: Unfounded Threats Moving beyond orchestrated narratives, the podcast addresses how rumors can spiral into widespread panic. Instances like "National Rape Day" and "National School Shooting Day" on TikTok are highlighted. Abby Richards, a researcher on TikTok misinformation, explains, “We really awareness videoed it into existence” (10:02). These rumors, propagated through vague and unverified reports, lead to unnecessary fear and overreactions, such as school cancellations and heightened security measures, despite a lack of credible evidence supporting these threats.
Local Crime Panic: Misattributed Incidents Local authorities often contribute to the panic by attributing isolated incidents to TikTok trends without substantial proof. The "Kool Aid Challenge" is discussed as an example where police reported teenage vandalism supposedly inspired by TikTok, yet TikTok confirmed no such trend existed on their platform. Brandy Zadrozny summarizes, “Another thing that I'm picking up on from these examples is that TikTok, because it's the hot platform, it sort of allows journalists to put a fresh coat of paint on an old trend” (14:53). Historical footage from 2011 shows that similar acts of vandalism have long existed, independent of TikTok influence.
PSA Panic: Overblown Public Service Announcements The podcast further examines how public service announcements (PSAs) can amplify fears by presenting alarming anecdotes linked to TikTok trends without context. Challenges like the "Dry Scooping Challenge" and the "Blackout Challenge" are presented as new dangers, though each has historical precedents predating TikTok. Michael Ohinger emphasizes the lack of comprehensive investigative journalism, stating, “As journalists, we need to be clear about the scale of a given harm or threat. And if we don't know, we need to make that clear too” (16:13).
Historical Context: Repeating Patterns of Moral Panic Drawing parallels to past media panics, the hosts reference the 1940s fears of radio addiction and the 1950s moral panic over comic books. Dr. Amy Orban of the University of Cambridge highlights, “A new technology is always going to be the easiest scapegoat” (21:03). These recurring patterns demonstrate society's tendency to blame emerging technologies for behavioral issues among youth, often without substantial evidence.
Conclusions and Insights The episode concludes by urging listeners to critically evaluate media reports about TikTok and other social media platforms. Brandy Zadrozny offers practical advice:
- Verify Trends: Are there actual examples of the so-called trend?
- Assess Scale: Do journalists provide data on how widespread the trend is?
- Evaluate Harm Evidence: Is there more than anecdotal evidence of harm?
- Check Novelty: Is the trend genuinely new, or does it have historical precedents?
Micah Ohinger reinforces the importance of a measured approach: “We need to take a deep breath and recognize that we've been here before” (17:41). The hosts highlight the necessity for both media consumers and journalists to approach such stories with skepticism and a demand for evidence, rather than succumbing to sensationalism.
Notable Quotes
- Taylor Lorenz: “For years, I've reported on the false nature of a lot of these teen trends and how they emerge with new technologies.” (04:13)
- Abby Richards: “It was unclear exactly where this started... we really awareness videoed it into existence.” (10:02)
- Dr. Amy Orban: “Because scientific evidence is so slow to accumulate... we never really get to any real concrete policy outcomes until the next technology comes around.” (21:14)
Final Thoughts "A Taxonomy of TikTok Panics" serves as a critical examination of how media narratives around new technologies, particularly TikTok, can become distorted through coordinated misinformation, rumors, and overzealous reporting. By contextualizing these panics within historical patterns, the episode encourages a more informed and skeptical audience, advocating for responsible journalism and media consumption.