And yet we still can't get anyone to use "they're" "their" and "there" properly.

They're*

This is because there are two types of Social Media: Advertiser focused and personal data focused.

Advertiser focused ones don't want you to swear or use words like Rape, Kill, or Porn because Advertisers are skittish little pissbabies who don't want any type of controversy and just want silly memes and stupid dancing so you can see ads from influencers and/or themselves, they make money through ads. Stray too far dances and memes and slop onto actual tailored and interesting content, then they'll drag you back to the uncontroversial content (has happened to me a couple of times).

Data focused ones make their money from the data you give them. From what you like, what you say, what you do. They'll sell that data to advertisers so they can either sell you shit or decide if you can have the insurance you need to buy insulin that month. They want you on there as long as possible and the best way they can do that is to make you angry, scared, and hateful. They will look at your mental state and serve you ads that take advantage of that. The angrier and more furious you are, the longer you stay on there. That's where the slur people come from. That's also where things like pogroms and riots come from. These companies want riots, murders, and far right shit to happen because it actually makes money for them, so they serve you that with their algorithm. Sometimes they'll serve you ads to sway your opinion to whoever pays them money, like what they did with Trump and Brexit.

If you're curious...

Ad Focused

• Tiktok
• Youtube
• Instagram

Data focused

• Facebook
• Twitter/X
• Threads

Gen-X defending Z - some places that ban those words force such twisting of the language to continue discussion, and I doubt it's Zs that are running those places. I always will jump in for the kids because I know if I had been born in their place, I'd be pissed off too. We Gen-X had our own dilemmas but millennials and younger really got the shaft.

Those only stand out because they're new. We've had polite ways of talking about death or suicide or whatever for centuries, and I'm sure we will forever, because the subject itself is harsh. Sometimes you need to use slightly distant language. Sometimes that's the right tool for the job.

The only difference now is that the expressions people are using were chosen involuntarily. But that doesn't tell us anything about the speakers. It only tells us something about the censors.

Because the platform’s algorithms block or delete your posts if you use certain words. They’re not “scared”, it just becomes habit to use alternative words to avoid censorship.

I'll say "unalive" or "heck" or whatever because it's kinda funny and also just irritates some of the most annoying people I've seen online at the same time.

So often they're being said ironically as a meta joke and it flies right over the head of people who get oddly defensive about it.

I have never met a single person who is using those euphemisms outside of sites that will censor them.

Gen Z: swearing, but also not swearing

Juvanoia: this is so concerning

I thought they started using those euphemisms because of platform censorship?

The saddest part is how this came to be. It started with companies not wanting those "words" or "topics" being associated with their product, so advertisers started punishing creators who use these specific words.

Ok, fair, understandable...

But, when those topics are inevitably brought up they needed placeholders, so they started using those corny euphemisms.
The sad part is that, since there is essentialy not a single original thought left in a chronically online teens brain, they started mimicing this language even if there is no logical reason to do so, beside thinking it makes them more parasocialy connected to their favorite content creator.

There once was a fucking time kids could their own language to their peers and everyone knew what they meant by it. But now we have robloxs speak and all of YouTube to inject brainrot straight into you're brain. Hell my first boyfriend was raised an iPad kid and ultimately we couldn't have conversations that would go anywhere. I at least steered him away from Trump (he thought trump would legalize weed, which he found on tiktok 🥱)

Absolutely this. Seeing people say unalive because they learned to speak trying not to anger The Algorithm is a bit sad.

I think the first part is a drastically over-represented as a result of pearl clutching.