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To get one fact out of the way about “Alors On Danse” is a song by Belgian musician Stromae. This song was very popular between 2009 and 2010.
One repetitive theme TikTok has struggled to mitigate is crediting original creators. Remember “The Original Renegade?” As tired as you may be of reading about this it is still a reality, a fact, and a controversial practice still alive.
When you look at this old song, but now caught up in a new trend, Black content creators are once again overlooked. For instance, Usim Mang, posted the original TikTok video that went on to become a now-iconic dance.
This “Alors On Dance” translation “Let’s Dance” involved Black content creators. According to Business Insider (BI), the dancers in the video were scarcely credited and were not verified on TikTok. In addition, it seems they are not given the same opportunities white content creators do once they become well-known.
Within that article from BI, it said one classic example that comes to mind is teenage Haley Sharpe. She made a viral TikTok dance to Doja Cat’s “Say So” in early 2020 before the start of the pandemic. Sharpe appeared on news shows, which led to her account getting verified and unveiling a clothing line. Is it a coincidence? You be the judge of that.
Getting Shadowbanned On TikTok as Retaliation
Shadowbanned on TikTok is basically any video you published will not be shown to new followers or to your existing one. In other words, the For You Page is the place for your videos to be shown to new audiences. However, with being shadowbanned, it means your content becomes blocked from reaching the FY page and your account becomes essentially dead.
This phenomenon happens to content creators who violate Community Guidelines. In the case of Black creators, this is how TikTok takes matters into their own hands when they speak out about injustice.
It seems that TikTok since its explosive growth of 1 billion active users on the platform is not as a welcoming place as it used to be. Has it ever been?
The Problems With Attribution On TikTok
The TikTok algorithm is unique. Why? Because an ordinary content creator can compete with a verified creator. It was true once upon on a time and engagement organic.
Unlike Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, huge influencers get all the attention via the Like, Comment, and Share buttons. But on TikTok, it functions differently.
Nevertheless, TikTok still struggles to attribute and credit original creators. You would think, with a massive company like that, would hire content curators and moderators to fact-check. Oh, wait a minute? Would that involve an actual human being making sound decisions instead of an algorithm? Unfortunately, we live in an era of computer algorithms. Of course, it is a waste of time to have committees or ethical processes for reviewing the content on the platform. Is it now?
Here is another problem with the platform. It is not very consistent. Let’s say you use a sound that appears innocuously on the FYP. You decide to use it because it is trending and used by others. But what ends up happening, often, is the sound is removed and anybody using the sound is found to have violated copyright.
Takeaways
It is a harsh post about TikTok and its practices. When I read this article, I was very displeased because you cannot ignore and disenfranchise talented content creators who are of color. You cannot ignore the racial injustice when one group profits off another and pretend the platform is tailored towards everyone.
If you cannot change your ways, then TikTok has become a victim of its own creation. How different are you from other social networks? How are you dealing with this issue? You cannot sweep it under the rug anymore. It is the truth and not an imaginary tale.
