'Music festival' or protest? Activists using code to bypass algorithm
Share this @internewscast.com


() — Online activists are using the keywords “music festival” to spread the word about protests in Los Angeles, Portland and Washington, D.C., in an effort to avoid social media suppression.

The phrase is an example of algospeak, in which users replace flagged words such as “protest,” “riot,” or “ICE” to avoid being shadowbanned, which quietly reduces a post’s visibility, particularly in search results and curated, user-focused pages.

In this case, “LA Music Festival” has become a moniker for demonstrations against the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.

In Los Angeles, “music festival” has been used online to organize resistance efforts against immigration raids, and in D.C., to rally against Trump’s federal takeover of the district.

Organizers have shared protest details online using terms like “performers” for protest speakers and “venues” for protest sites.

TikTok prohibits threats, hate speech, harmful misinformation and extreme violence, but does not include protest-related content. Still, worried their posts are being hidden, activists on the app have turned to using coded language, and the approach has spread to Instagram, X and other platforms.

Users have used other phrases, such as “cute winter boots,” to discuss the presence of immigration officers, Axios reported.

While the codes have helped organizers bypass algorithms, they have been met with some confusion.

“So is it all protests, or specifically ICE-related? That’s what I’m confused about,” one Reddit user wrote.

Protests are set for this weekend nationwide as demonstrators continue to push back against the Trump administration’s policies

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Tragic Strike: Russian Missile Attack Claims Lives in Kharkiv Apartment – A Deep Dive into the Devastation

KYIV – A devastating missile strike claimed the lives of at least…

Unveiling Tennessee’s Suffrage Legacy: League of Women Voters NETN Inspires Record Midterm Turnout

In the heart of Johnson City, Tennessee, a pivotal moment in history…

Three Individuals Sentenced in Virginia for COVID-19 Unemployment Fraud Scheme

Three individuals faced sentencing on Friday for orchestrating a scheme that defrauded…

Unraveling the Heartache: How Families Cope with the Paralyzing Grief of Ambiguous Loss

In February, Lynette Pino was inundated with news reports about Nancy Guthrie’s…

Andris Nelsons to Conclude Tenure as Boston Symphony Music Director Following 2026-27 Season

In a surprising turn of events, Andris Nelsons will step down as…

Author Amy Griffin Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Story Theft in Memoir ‘The Tell

A woman has initiated legal action against Amy Griffin, a noted author…

Feed the Boro Hosts ‘Smackdown Hunger’ Wrestling Fundraiser to Combat Food Insecurity

BULLOCH COUNTY, Ga — In an effort to tackle food insecurity, a…

Republican Party Reinstates Bona Fide Status for Greene County Mayor and Seven Additional Local Candidates

The Tennessee Republican Party has released its official roster of approved Republican…