05: #Bans #Blocks #Beating (off) that Dead Horse

Welcome to Open Tabs! On today's episode we discuss the ban (and near-immediate unban) of Tiktok in January 2025 - along with all the ways the young and old are interacting with fanfiction and fandom on this strange, short-form space. HEADS UP! Because of the context surrounding the ban/unban of Tiktok this episode delves more into recent American politcs than normal. If that's something you can't or don't want to handle right now, we absolutely understand. If you're as angry as we are and looking to spend your bandwidth on something construction, I (Sydney) recommend contacting your local branch of the DSA or checking out the resource guide over here by Individsible Action as a starting point for more good trouble you can get into. This podcast and this episode cover adult themes and discuss explicit content: listener discretion is advised.