From gr*pists to nip nops, how self-censorship shapes the language of TikTok

Code Switch

NPR

Society & Culture

4.6 • 14.5K Ratings

🗓️ 9 July 2025

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Have you noticed people using terms like "unalive" and
"pew pews" on social media? There's a reason for that: some people are changing the way they speak on TikTok and other social media platforms to bypass what they think are algorithm blocks. For some users, it's a fun game — but for others, self-censoring certain words is crucial to being able to share their lived experience and get views.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This summer on Planet Money Summer School, we're learning about political economy.
0:04.2	We're getting into the nitty-gritty of what government does with things like trade, taxes, immigration, and health care.
0:10.4	So politics and economics, which are taught separately, they shouldn't be separated at all.
0:14.2	I think you have to understand one to really appreciate the other.
0:16.9	So what is the right amount of government in our lives?
0:19.6	Tune into Planet Money Summer School from NPR.
0:22.0	Wherever you get, their podcasts.
0:24.6	Heads up, this episode contains mentions of sexual assault.
0:30.2	Hey, everyone, you're listening to Code Switch, the show about race and identity from NPR.
0:35.2	I'm Bea Parker.
0:36.3	And I'm Gene Demby.
0:37.8	Okay, so Gene, I've been noticing something as I catch up on my news on TikTok
0:43.6	before I go to bed.
0:45.5	That's how I catch up on the news, too, sometimes.
0:47.2	You know what I mean? No shame. No shame.
0:49.0	See, you get it. Like, we work for a news organization, but we also know what's real. Yeah, I mean, yeah, we have, hopefully, hopefully we have some discernment, but, you know, I can't sell some phones.
0:57.5	But, like, there's this code language that's been around for a while.
1:02.4	Like, have you heard someone use the term unalive?
1:06.8	Yes, unalive.
1:07.7	Like, they mean, like like dead or killed, right?
1:11.9	Yeah.
1:12.6	And sometimes you'll see people use things like,
	...

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