Podcast Summary

There Are No Girls on the Internet
Episode: TikTok’s New Trump-Backed American Ownership Has People Fleeing
Host: Bridget Todd (iHeartPodcasts)
Guest: Dr. Jessica Maddox, Associate Professor of Media Studies, University of Georgia
Date: January 28, 2026

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode explores the fallout from TikTok's forced transition to American ownership—a joint venture orchestrated with the involvement of the Trump administration. Host Bridget Todd and guest Dr. Jessica Maddox dive into the facts (and myths) about changes to TikTok’s policies, the dangers facing marginalized communities, and the broader implications for privacy, digital organizing, and the future of social media in the United States.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why the Change in TikTok Ownership Matters

• Backdrop: The transition occurs amid user fear and distrust, especially among those who use TikTok for activism or documenting abuse (03:05–03:55).
• Users, especially from marginalized and vulnerable communities, are worried about data access under new ownership that's closely tied to the Trump administration.
• Statistic: Daily deletions of TikTok in the US rose nearly 150% in the five days after the announcement (03:18).

2. Separating Fact from Misinformation

• Rampant Rumors: Host Bridget Todd describes pausing TikTok coverage due to swirling rumors and misreporting—even from reputable outlets—about impending bans or app migrations that didn't materialize (07:03–08:00).
• Jessica Maddox: Explains the origins—lack of user education on social media mechanics, legalese-filled terms of service, and reward systems that favor speed and sensation over accuracy (10:33–12:10).
  • “Nobody reads the terms of services or community guidelines or privacy policies. And that is because that's by design.”
    — Jessica Maddox (10:33)
• Both panelists agree that misinformation is often driven by user confusion, platforms’ own incentives, and sensationalist reporting.

3. Data Collection: What’s Actually New vs. “Normal”

• Normal vs. Abnormal: Most “shock” over new data tracking (like geolocation and demographics) is misplaced—these practices have been typical across platforms for years (24:52–27:20).
• What’s new/abnormal?
  • The proximity of government to TikTok's data due to this ownership arrangement (26:51).
  • “The big abnormal part is how the close relationship...the close relationship to the White House and the fact specifically that this information is being put in the hands of a government that seeks to actively harm those people.” — Jessica Maddox (27:50)
• TikTok now explicitly collects and categorizes users by sensitive demographics—gender status (trans/nonbinary) and immigration status. While this isn’t new, the government’s involvement is unprecedented and alarming (27:32–28:47).

4. Advice for Marginalized Communities

• Bridget asks: Should those at highest risk (trans, nonbinary, undocumented users) leave the platform?
• Maddox’s nuanced answer:
  • “It's a matter of personal comfort level...If we all do run away, the bullies win...”
    — Jessica Maddox (29:44–30:49)
  • Encourages people to assess their personal risk and make choices accordingly but warns against wholesale silencing and self-erasure.
  • Taking breaks and practicing caution is appropriate; balancing activism and safety is key.

5. The Broader Context: Social Media, Organizing, & the Power Grab

• Bridget recalls earlier eras when social media fostered real activism (MeToo, Black Lives Matter) and questions if increased billionaire ownership and platform policy changes are a deliberate clampdown (36:36–39:27).
• Maddox agrees and warns about nostalgia—social media has always had flaws and dangers—but now we’re in a “backlash moment” against the gains achieved by marginalized communities in the last decade (39:27–41:36).
  • “The pendulum always swings back...It just may take some time.”
    — Jessica Maddox (41:12)
• Both express exhaustion at losing spaces they helped build and the need to keep fighting for digital representation.

6. Coping as a Creator & Academic in the New Landscape

• Maddox shares strategies for mental health: boundaries, curation of algorithm, bookmarking for work-life balance, and bracing for online harassment (42:29–44:10).
• She describes why it’s vital for real experts to participate publicly and make knowledge accessible, even in hostile or “shadow-banning” environments (44:29–46:08).

7. The Future of TikTok and Platform Strategy

• Despite public outcry and mass deletions, Maddox sees TikTok doubling down on original content, e-commerce, and transformation into a more Amazon- or Douyin-like platform (47:09–48:49).
  • “I don't think TikTok's worried at all. Unfortunately, I do think that...I see TikTok moving in the way of an Amazon, especially with...e-commerce first.” — Jessica Maddox (47:09)
• She predicts users will return after initial outrage and TikTok’s influence will continue to expand.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Policy Confusion:
  “I made the joke on my...video...it's like when you're at a bachelorette party and everybody's drunk and you're moving from bar to bar and you're the sober friend that has to make sure all the girls get to the next bar. But you lose somebody. That is what it's like trying to move to a new app.”
  — Jessica Maddox (09:01)

• On Government Data Access:
  “Information is being put in the hands of a government that seeks to actively harm those people.”
  — Jessica Maddox (02:45 & 27:50)

• On Social Media & Activism:
  “If we all do run away, the bullies win, and it becomes an even bigger cesspool. But we also have to be smart and safe in these very, very, very awful times.”
  — Jessica Maddox (31:12)

• On Fatigue and Platform Loss:
  “I'm just so sick of getting pushed out of these corners of the Internet that we...carved out for ourselves...I'm so sick of this handful of billionaires...taking over more and more and more of our Internet landscape.”
  — Bridget Todd (31:49)

• On Whether She Will Leave TikTok:
  “I'll be there for a while. I think there, you know, I'll, I'll keep talking and trying to explain things until I'm so shadow banned or actually banned that I can't do it anymore...”
  — Jessica Maddox (51:04)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Introduction & Context – 02:45–03:55
• Misinformation & Reporting Errors – 07:03–09:45
• Why Misinformation Spreads – 10:33–12:10
• What’s Normal/Abnormal About TikTok’s Practices – 24:52–28:47
• Advice for At-Risk Users – 29:38–31:33
• Losing Social Spaces & Platform Fatigue – 31:49–33:41
• Organizing, Social Media Power, and The Backlash Moment – 36:36–41:36
• Staying Resilient As a User or Academic – 42:29–46:08
• TikTok’s Strategic Direction & Future – 47:09–48:49

Tone and Language

• The conversation is frank, informed, and sometimes exasperated but threaded with dry humor and cautious optimism.
• Both Todd and Maddox employ accessible language, pop culture analogies, and empathetic acknowledgment of their listeners’ concerns.

Concluding Thoughts

This episode cuts through the panic, misinformation, and legalese surrounding TikTok's new American ownership to clarify what’s really changing—and what isn’t. It centers the experience of marginalized communities, explores risks under increased government proximity, and advocates both caution and resilience: not abandoning digital spaces, but proceeding with eyes open.

Stay Connected:

• Find Dr. Jessica Maddox on Threads and Instagram: @JessMaddox21
• On Substack: “by the way: btw Social”
• On Bluesky: jessmatics.psky.social