RTO Unlock and TikTok Censorship

the algorithm is not algorithming

Jan 23, 2025

Timothée Chalamet lands Oscar nomination ahead of his SNL hosting gig; Lola Young made her late-night TV debut with “Messy,” which, if you’re chronically online, you know as the “Sofia Richie dance” song; and Tommy Dorfman is starring in the off-Broadway play “Becoming Eve.”

Today’s newsletter is sponsored by Dr.Jart+.

Though I’m a millennial who has dutifully slathered skincare on my face for decades, I was unaware of the all-important “skin barrier” until last year around this time, when Sephora tweens — precocious Gen Alphas experimenting with multi-step routines and pricey retinols — catapulted the term into the zeitgeist and into my own daily routine.

Skin barrier health exploded in popularity, and not just because of the Drunk Elephant-obsessed kindergartners. On TikTok alone, there are more than 200,000 videos mentioning “skin barrier” — 15,000 in the last year alone. The growing interest in skin barrier repair has also translated into serious market momentum; according to Spate, searches for “skin barrier” have grown 33.9% on TikTok since last year, reaching 12.2M average weekly views on TikTok.

Dr. Jart+’s Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream is an example of how brands can — and should — respond strategically to trends. Their reformulated product, with double the 5-Cera Complex and added Panthenol, reflects a shift in consumer priorities towards skincare that focuses on gentle nourishment and prevention. This POV is also aligned with Korean skincare ethos, something Dr.Jart+’s been a leader in for more than 20 years.

But what makes this cult favorite stand out is how it taps into a broader cultural moment. With hashtags like #skinbarrier and #ceramides trending on social media (especially when it’s as cold as it is right now in much of the U.S.), Dr. Jart+ is leaning into a conversation that younger consumers are already driving. It’s not just about following a fad; it’s about recognizing what matters to this audience — products that work, ingredients they trust, and brands that listen.

I still can’t exactly explain what the skin barrier is (I’ll leave that to the skincare girlies on TikTok), but I can tell you after using Dr.Jart+’s face cream and body lotion — extremely thick and blessedly scent-free — during one of the coldest weeks of January, my own skin barrier has never looked better.

Thank you Dr.Jart+! 🫶

ARE INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK ENABLING RIGHT-WING POLITICAL CENSORSHIP?, dazed
Since Trump issued his executive order and “brought” TikTok “back,” social media users have reported issues with censorship and misinformation warnings on the app, with some claiming that certain political search terms or hashtags — everything from “fascism” to “banned books” to “f*ck Trump” — are being suppressed. (I’ve also seen a number of videos claiming that once you delete all of the Meta apps from your phone, your TikTok algo will be “fixed.”) TikTok denied any changes, telling Semafor: “Our policies and algorithms did not change over the weekend.”

‘THE VIBES ARE OFF’: HOW HALF A DAY WITHOUT TIKTOK CHANGED EVERYTHING, wapo
Alleged censorship aside, many TikTok users feel the algorithm is no longer “algorithming.” (A headline on The Cut this morning reads, “Let TikTok Die!”) Despite the backlash, there hasn’t been a mass exodus and everyone seems to be scrolling, business as usual. It’ll be interesting to see if this theory that Meta and Trump are now controlling TikTok continues to dominate the cultural conversation — these days, public perception is frankly more important than the truth — but at the end of the day, no app is more fun to sh*tpost on, which is why young people keep coming back.

WHEN YOUR SON GOES MAGA, nyt
Historically, familial political battles have been between progressive young people and their Fox News-obsessed boomer-age elders. But not so anymore! Parents across the country are struggling to understand their kids’ political beliefs, which are increasingly influenced by a “constellation of podcast hosts and YouTubers who put out irreverent entertainment while validating young men’s frustrations with the status quo.”

When Eli brought a “Make America Great Again” hat home from college this summer, Ms. Behr threw it into the corner of his bedroom. They argued about guns, immigration and abortion, struggling to do so without permanently damaging their relationship.
“facts don’t matter to you,” Ms. Behr wrote in a moment of frustration during one text exchange about Mr. Trump’s legal battles. “love you. have a good day.”

MORE YOUNG PEOPLE JOIN THE DRY JANUARY MOVEMENT, bloomberg
We’re seeing a “true mainstreaming” of the Dry January trend, according to Morning Consult, with 22% of U.S. adults ages 21 and over participating in Dry January this year (though for 30% that means “cutting back,” not completely abstaining). Amrita Bhasin, 24, told Bloomberg she’s participating in Dry January for the first time this year; she initially thought of Dry January as a “millennial thing” that people her age didn’t participate in — incredible quote — but she’s doing it this year in hopes of getting better sleep.

WORKERS ARE BEING CALLED BACK TO THE OFFICE FULL-TIME. CAN GEN Z HANDLE RTO?, fastco
”Pundits can’t decide whether Gen Z is yearning for—or dreading—a full return to office,” writes Fast Company, but I think it’s actually quite simple: The only thing we really need to understand is that young people just want flexibility. That’s it! They got a taste of autonomy during the pandemic, and now it’s the expectation. It’s on companies to figure out how to offer flexibility while also fostering a good in-office experience that makes people want to come in.

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