Tag: tik tok

“Non-Binary” Maryland Teacher Sparks Outrage After Posting TikToks Flaunting Pregnancy And Breast Implant “Kinks”

Concerns are mounting in Maryland after a male teacher was found posting TikTok videos flaunting what he describes as his pregnancy and breast-implant fetish. Although the teacher has since locked down his social media accounts, the child-safeguarding organization Gays Against Groomers saved one of the clips and reposted it on X, where it has already racked up more than 30,000 views at the time of writing.

Reduxx has identified the teacher in the controversial video as James Roman Stilipec, who instructs Grade 9 English at REACH! Partnership School 341 in Baltimore.

In the clip shared by Gays Against Groomers, Stilipec is seen wearing an exaggerated breast form and an oversized fake pregnant belly beneath a tight green shirt. The video appears to be a repost from a concerned viewer, who captioned it: “this man @allthatjaz22 is a 9th grade teacher and posts this publicly.”

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TikTok Zombie Brain Rot Confirmed By Major Study

A bombshell Griffith University study has validated a long suspected reality: short-form videos (SFVs) like TikToks and Instagram Reels are frying brains, slashing attention spans, and crippling cognitive endurance.

Such content is turning a generation into scatterbrained zombies unable to tackle real-world complexities amid algorithmic dopamine traps.

The meta-analysis, reviewing 71 studies and data from 98,299 participants, uncovered a “consistent pattern” of harm from heavy SFV consumption. 

Such content is turning a generation into scatterbrained zombies unable to tackle real-world complexities amid algorithmic dopamine traps.

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FBI Arrests Active Duty U.S. Marine For Allegedly Kidnapping 12-Year-Old Girl He Met on TikTok

The FBI has reported that an active-duty U.S. Marine has been arrested after allegedly kidnapping a 12-year-old girl from Indiana.

According to the FBI’s press release, William Roy, 24, who was stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, flew to Chicago to meet up with a 12-year-old girl at a park.

Later, Roy allegedly took the young girl to a hotel where they stayed overnight.

He faces charges of enticing and transporting a minor to travel for illicit sexual activity and interstate travel with the intent to engage in sexual activity with a minor.

Per FBI Indianapolis:

An active-duty U.S. Marine has been arrested after allegedly traveling from North Carolina to Indiana to meet, kidnap, and sexually assault a 12-year-old Hammond girl. William Richard Roy, 24, of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, was taken into custody by the FBI in Durham, North Carolina, on October 26, 2025.

The investigation began on October 25, 2025, when the FBI Indianapolis Field Office’s Merrillville Resident Agency received information from the Hammond Police Department regarding a missing 12-year-old girl believed to be traveling with Roy. The child’s grandmother had reported her missing earlier that day.

Through the coordinated efforts of the FBI, Hammond Police Department, and U.S. Marshals Service, it was determined Roy allegedly flew to Chicago on October 24, 2025. The following day, he took an Uber to Hammond, where he met the child at a park. The two then traveled by Uber back to Chicago, stayed overnight at a hotel, and later boarded a Greyhound bus bound for Durham, North Carolina.

When the bus arrived in Durham on October 26, agents from the FBI Charlotte Field Office’s Greensboro and Raleigh Resident Agencies took Roy into custody and safely recovered the child.

The arrest of Roy marks the second arrest of a Marine stationed at Camp Lejeune in recent months.

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‘Massive legal siege’ against social media companies looms

Thousands of plaintiffs’ complaints, millions of pages of internal documents and transcripts of countless hours of depositions are about to land in U.S. courtrooms, threatening the future of the biggest social media companies.

The blizzard of paperwork is a byproduct of two consolidated lawsuits accusing Snap Inc.’s Snapchat; Meta Platforms Inc.’s Facebook and Instagram; ByteDance Ltd.’s TikTok; and Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube of knowingly designing their platforms to addict users — allegedly resulting in youth depression, anxiety, insomnia, eating disorders, self-harm and even suicide.

The litigation, brewing for more than three years, has had to overcome numerous hurdles, including the liability shield that has protected social media platforms from facing user-harm lawsuits. The social media companies have filed multiple motions to dismiss the cases on the grounds that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act prevents them from being held accountable for content posted on their sites.

Those motions have been largely unsuccessful, and courtrooms across the country are poised to open their doors for the first time to the alleged victims of social media. The vast majority of cases have been folded into two multijurisdictional proceedings, one in state and the other in federal court, to streamline the pretrial discovery process.

The first bellwether trial is scheduled to begin in Los Angeles Superior Court in late January. It involves a 19-year-old woman from Chico, California, who says she’s been addicted to social media for more than a decade and that her nonstop use of the platforms has caused anxiety, depression and body dysmorphia. Two other trials will follow soon after, with thousands more waiting in the wings. If successful, these cases could result in multibillion-dollar settlements — akin to tobacco and opioid litigation — and change the way minors interact with social media.

“This is going to be one of the most impactful litigations of our lifetime,” said Joseph VanZandt, an attorney at Beasley Allen Law Firm in Montgomery, Alabama, and co-lead plaintiffs’ attorney for the coordinated state cases. “This is about large corporations targeting vulnerable populations — children — for profit. That’s what we saw with the tobacco companies; they were also targeting adolescents and trying to get them addicted while they were young.”

Matthew Bergman, founder of the Social Media Victims Law Center in Seattle, makes a similar comparison to tobacco litigation in the Bloomberg documentary Can’t Look Away: The Case Against Social Media. “In the case of Facebook, you have internal documents saying ‘tweens are herd animals,’ ‘kids have an addict’s narrative’ and ‘our products make girls feel worse about themselves.’ You have the same kind of corporate misconduct,” Bergman says in the film, which will be available to view on Bloomberg’s platforms on October 30.

Bergman’s firm was the first to file user-harm cases against social media companies, in 2022, after Frances Haugen, a former Meta product manager-turned-whistleblower, released a trove of internal documents showing the company knew social media was negatively impacting youth mental health. The first case, which is part of the consolidated federal litigation, alleged that an 11-year-old Connecticut girl killed herself after suffering from extreme social media addiction and sexual exploitation by online predators.

What set that case apart was how it got around Section 230’s immunity blanket. Bergman argued that his case wasn’t about third-party content, which the federal law protects. Instead, he said it hinged on the way social media companies were intentionally designing their products to prioritize engagement and profit over safety.

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Indonesian Government Restores TikTok’s License After Platform Shares User Data

TikTok has handed over a broad collection of user data to Indonesian authorities, a move that cleared the way for the platform’s operations to resume in the country after a brief suspension.

The company acted under pressure from regulators following its failure to cooperate during a volatile stretch of anti-government demonstrations in late August.

According to government officials, the data shared included analytics on traffic behavior and signs of potential online gambling.

The request was triggered by a surge in livestream activity tied to the protests, which erupted after public anger over political perks collided with the fatal police killing of a motorcycle delivery driver.

Currently owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, TikTok is deeply embedded in Indonesia’s digital life, with over 100 million users and a rapidly growing e-commerce arm.

Authorities revoked its license last week after the platform did not supply information about user activity during the period from August 25 to 30. Police reported that some TikTok users live-streamed protest scenes and used the broadcasts to solicit digital gifts or payments from viewers.

On Monday, officials confirmed that TikTok submitted data showing the number of such livestreams and how much money they generated.

Alexander Sabar, a director general at the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, said in a written message, and as reported by Bloomberg: “The summary data provided is aggregate data, not specific to a particular user, and therefore cannot be used to track or monitor individuals — including accounts broadcasting demonstrations.”

He said the ministry’s primary interest was in activity tied to online gambling and other prohibited uses of the platform.

Technology companies around the world are often cautious when responding to government data requests.

Firms such as Meta and Google typically weigh these demands against potential backlash from users and the risk of exposing proprietary systems.

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Leaked docs expose billionaire network funding pro-Israel ‘digital militias’

Leaked files published by The Grayzone on 6 October show that Israeli officials enlisted US billionaires to bankroll covert “digital militias” run by former intelligence operatives, tasked with undermining and monitoring pro-Palestinian activism across the US.

The Grayzone reported that the plan, code-named “12 Tribes,” was spearheaded by former Israeli army chief and defense minister Benny Gantz.

He was tasked with recruiting western financiers, among them technology magnate Larry Ellison and his son David, now owner of Paramount and CBS News.

The documents reveal a campaign designed to recruit “an exclusive group of the 12 most influential Jewish philanthropists, symbolizing the 12 Jewish tribes; Israel’s government shall act as a 13th, facilitating ‘tribe.’”

Internal planning papers from Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies described the 12 Tribes as “a non-hierarchical mothership, working for the people and the state” of Israel. 

Organizers stressed the need to conceal official involvement.

“Government money is also a political constraint,” one planner wrote, while another added, “In the jungle, we need more guerrillas and less IDF.”

The files also identify other billionaires solicited to fund the operation, including Oracle founder Larry Ellison, media mogul Haim Saban, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and Westfield Group co-founder Frank Lowy. 

Contributors were expected to donate $1 million each to a fund directed by the Israeli government to underwrite surveillance firms such as Black Cube, which planned to use “state-of-the-art cyber technology” against the BDS movement.

After his reported involvement with Israeli officials, David Ellison acquired Paramount Global and installed self-described “Zionist fanatic” Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief of CBS News.

Larry Ellison’s Oracle, alongside Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowitz, is set to hold a controlling stake in TikTok’s new US entity under a deal backed by Donald Trump.

Oracle will manage user data from Texas, giving Ellison – already named in the 12 Tribes Israeli influence scheme – a powerful position over one of the most influential social platforms, further tightening the overlap between pro-Israel corporate power and US social media infrastructure.

Israel has also contracted US firms to shape online narratives in its favor, including a $6-million deal with Brad Parscale’s Clock Tower X LLC to “train ChatGPT” toward pro-Israel messaging and flood Gen Z social media feeds with state propaganda. 

The plan integrates content across TikTok, YouTube, and conservative Christian outlets while Google runs a separate $45-million campaign for Netanyahu’s office to deny famine in Gaza.

Despite these efforts, new US polls show record declines in public support for Israel, especially among young adults.

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TikTok censors posts about AIPAC’s influence after ownership change

TikTok has begun censoring posts that discuss the influence of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in the United States. This change follows a recent ownership transition to billionaires aligned with Israeli interests.

The decision to censor content related to AIPAC has raised concerns among users regarding freedom of expression on the platform. The specific nature of the posts being targeted has not been detailed, but the move has sparked discussions about the implications of ownership on social media content moderation.

This development comes amid ongoing political tensions and discussions surrounding AIPAC”s role in U.S. politics. Similar situations have been observed in other contexts, including recent developments in Madagascar, where protests have erupted over political issues, as reported in recent coverage.

No further information has been provided by TikTok regarding the criteria for censorship or the potential impact on user engagement. The situation continues to evolve as users and observers monitor the platform”s policies.

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Netanyahu hails TikTok takeover as Israel’s new ‘weapon’ in information war

Benjamin Netanyahu described the expected purchase of the social media platform TikTok by allies of Israel as the acquisition of a “weapon” that is “most important” to “fight the fight.” And he believes this development “could be extremely consequential.”

The Israeli prime minister was speaking to a group of “pro-Israel influencers” in a meeting after his address at the United Nations General Assembly last Friday were an overwhelming majority of national delegations walked out in apparent protest to what is widely considered a genocidal war he and his nation are inflicting against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

A media release from Netanyahu’s office reported the prime minister spoke with this group of “pro-Israel American influencers” about “challenges in the new era, as well as the public diplomacy efforts and the influence of the social networks on the discourse for and against Israel.”

Asked about how to combat dangers to the Zionist cause due to a potential loss of Evangelical support in the United States, which is also impacted by popular Israel-critics Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson, Netanyahu directed his listeners to considering social media as “tools for battle” and then emphasized the expected purchase of TikTok to be “most important” in serving Israel’s interests in this regard.

“What we have to do is we have to secure that part of the base of our support in the United States, that is being challenged systematically… How do we fight back? Our influencers, I think you should also talk to them if you have a chance,” the prime minister said. “And secondly, we’re going to have to use the tools of battle. The weapons change over time… we have to fight with the weapons that apply to the battlefields within which we’re engaged. And the most important ones are on social media.”

Netanyahu then celebrated “the most important purchase that is going on right now” that he identified as being TikTok. “And I hope it goes through because it can be consequential.”

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Trump Signs Executive Order Rescuing TikTok in the U.S.: $14 Billion Sale to American Investors Like Oracle and Silver Lake

President Donald Trump signed an executive order this Thursday, saving TikTok from an imminent ban. The platform, boasting 170 million users in the U.S., is now transitioning to a consortium of non-Chinese investors who will control 80% of its operations.

ByteDance, its Chinese parent company, retains less than 20%, specifically 19.9%, along with a single seat on the board of directors. The valuation of the new U.S.-based TikTok reaches $14 billion, as confirmed by Vice President J.D. Vance during the White House ceremony.

Though controversial for being lower than previous estimates of up to $40 billion, this price reflects Trump’s commitment to national security without compromising innovation. Trump, who credits part of his 2024 electoral victory to TikTok—where he has amassed 15 million followers—hailed the deal as «the art of the deal.»

«It’s run by Americans, and very sophisticated ones,» the president declared, emphasizing Oracle’s critical role in managing the algorithm and data security.

The crisis traces back to April 2024, when then-President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan law mandating that ByteDance divest 80% of TikTok’s U.S. operations or face a total shutdown due to national security risks.

The legislation, passed with broad congressional support, highlighted concerns over Chinese access to user data and the potential manipulation of the algorithm for propaganda purposes. Biden feared that the Chinese Communist Party might use TikTok to spy on American citizens or influence elections.

The law took effect in January 2025, but upon beginning his second term, Trump extended the deadline multiple times: first by 75 days, then 90, and most recently to December 16. These extensions facilitated intense negotiations with Beijing.

The turning point came in September 2025. Following a productive call between Trump and President Xi Jinping on September 19, both leaders finalized a framework agreement. Trump announced progress on trade, fentanyl, and TikTok approval via Truth Social. Xi, in turn, stressed a «fair environment» for Chinese investments but conceded on the divestiture.

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Congress calls Trump’s TikTok plan a good first step, but concerns remain about algorithm control

ongressional leaders see positive first steps in President Donald Trump’s TikTok deal, but are withholding full support until questions about control of the important content algorithm owned by China-based ByteDance are resolved. The Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party says that the promise of divestiture is a good first step on the way to a final deal, but noted once again that an important requirement of the law passed by Congress is severing China’s connections to the app’s algorithm.  

“Transitioning to a majority American-owned entity would mark an important step in that process that could mitigate some of the ByteDance threat depending on the details, but divestment was not the law’s only requirement,” Chairman John Moolenaar, R-Mich., said in a statement on Friday. 

Staying within the guardrails

“The law also set firm guardrails that prohibit cooperation between ByteDance and any prospective TikTok successor on the all-important recommendation algorithm, as well as preclude operational ties between the new entity and ByteDance,” said the chairman. 

The chairman promised that he would use his committee to conduct full oversight over this agreement, starting with an urgent briefing” that he requested from the Trump administration. Moolenaar also said he plans to hold a hearing next year with the leadership of the new American Tiktok entity, according to the press release.

TikTok’s operations in the United States have drawn significant scrutiny from Congress for years. Last year, Congress passed and President Joe Biden signed into law the bill requiring TikTok’s parent company, the China-based ByteDance, to either divest itself of the popular video sharing app or face a ban on operations in the United States. 

The bill aimed to address concerns that the Chinese company exercised the ability to weaponize the app against the American people on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party’s goals by gathering and exploiting citizens’ personal data.  

Of particular concern is ByteDance’s proprietary content suggesting algorithm, which experts say could be exploited to influence users and U.S. public opinion and politics at large. There is some evidence of this claim. Earlier this year, a study found that TikTok suppresses anti-China content and influences user opinion on the communist country’s human rights record and society. The researchers from Rutgers University and the Network Contagion Research Institute assessed this was done by likely manipulation of the content algorithm, though no definitive determination could be made without access to the code.

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