As Black History Month begins this week, TikTok has announced a new #BlackTikTok event aimed at highlighting Black creators on the platform and increasing their efforts.
ONEs explained by TikTok:
“We’re celebrating and honoring #BlackTikTok all month and beyond with a Pendry West Hollywood billboard takeover, new in-app stickers, Black music playlists and TikTok LIVE programming highlighting Black creators making waves on and off the platform hit.”
As you can see here, TikTok’s new themed stickers will offer users a way to participate in the broader commemoration.
The live streams from TikTok, on the other hand will feature a range of Black creators, musicians, businesses and organizations.
“Starting February 4th and each week this month, we will be launching a variety of themed programming to celebrate those making a difference in the entertainment industry and its community.”
TikTok is also partnering with iHeartRadio to celebrate a live event celebrating black music on the app, which will feature performances from Lizzo and Big Sean, among others, while also featuring “genre-breaking” black music via the hashtag #BlackMusic artists will present.
Finally, TikTok has also announced its 2022 Black TikTok Trailblazers, a group of developers representing the next generation of entertainment leaders who have been nominated by the TikTok community for their creativity, passion and authenticity.
It’s the latest in TikTok’s broader effort to support black creators as it aims to uplift those in minority groups who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
Last January, the platform launched its TikTok for Black Creatives incubator program, through which it provided funding and support to 100 aspiring Black creators and musicians in the app, while in November it allocated an additional $50,000 each to 10 more Black creators through its MACRO x initiative TikTok Black Creatives. Black-owned businesses are also promoted through his #ShopBlack campaign.
At the same time, TikTok has also had to deal with various criticisms of the way its systems may be biased against black users.
Last July, a group of the app’s top stars held a strike to protest the treatment of black creators who are driving many of the in-app trends.
As explained by The Black Media Authority:
“While white creators are signed to record companies, invited to talk shows, and paid for their popularity, black creators go unnoticed and unheard. In particular, Charli D’Amelio, a creator with 131.5 million followers and her own reality TV show, has been criticized for not giving credit to black creator Jalaiah Harmon after she passed off the dance “The Renegade” as her own had. D’Amelio eventually credited Harmon with choreographing the dances after receiving backlash from the public.”
This, creators say, is just one example of how TikTok’s broader impact has inherently favored white talent, prompting TikTok to re-evaluate its processes to avoid potential biases in the way it clips classifies and applies to recognize and eliminate.
The app is now an important platform for many developers from many communities, and it is important for TikTok to recognize and promote such wherever it can to further expand its cultural footprint. Black creators are already important drivers of this in the app, and Black History Month is the perfect time to celebrate and recognize their contributions, and to offer additional opportunities to support wherever possible.
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