On January 18, 2025, TikTok went down for U.S. users. After just 14 hours, it was back. Since then, questions have been swirling online. Has the algorithm changed? Was the ban just a ruse? Has TikTok gone… conservative? In this episode, internet culture expert Taylor Lorenz joins Morgan to break down the answers to those questions. They’ll dig into the real reasons for the ban and what the future holds for progressive speech on an internet that has been drifting steadily to the right. 

Read the transcript here.

Want to give us feedback on the series? Shoot us an email at CloseAllTabs@KQED.org

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices