Libs of TikTok
Far-right and anti-LGBT X (formerly Twitter) account / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Libs of TikTok is a handle for various far-right[lower-alpha 1] and anti-LGBT[lower-alpha 2] 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]
Formation | April 2021 |
---|---|
Founder | Chaya Raichik |
Founded at | United States |
Affiliations | Far-right politics,[lower-alpha 1] anti-LGBT rhetoric[lower-alpha 2] |
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".[lower-alpha 3] 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]