The internet age has led to some truly spectacular things. Entire libraries of knowledge, ways to connect with people half the world away, and a chance to better understand the world around us. Unfortunately, it has also led to hate, division, social vigilantism, anarchy, and misinformation — sometimes all in one horrific package.
Step forward one particularly sinister account which has set itself up as a sort of callout account, dedicated to vigilante-like “justice” of outing members of progressive, LGBTQ+, and other minority groups at their workplaces and spreading disinformation about those same people. Libs of TikTok launched in April 2021, and from its inception has been a dark and hateful place to spread lies, fear and misinformation against whoever it chooses to target.
What is Libs of TikTok?
Libs of TikTok was founded by former real estate agent Chaya Raichik, and it quickly became a major focal point and bastion of transphobia, homophobia, and outright fake news. Raichik had previously used her online presence to spread conspiracy theories around COVID-19, the false claim the 2020 United States election was stolen from Donald Trump, and was also present at the Jan. 6 insurrection, depending on what day you ask her.
Raichik began her anti-queer quest in mid-2021 when she began to describe LGBTQ+ people as child groomers — something which became a staple of her presence online. Chaichik prides herself on getting progressives fired from their jobs, particularly queer teachers in the public system. Her identity was only revealed to the public after The Washington Post published an exposé, which led to the revelation of her career as a realtor.
The account only got further into the mires of far-right conspiracy theories, with Joe Rogan praising it on his show, further increasing its popularity. Libs of TikTok has frequently reported on drag queen story times at schools, pre-schools, and other places, falsely accusing the drag queens of being child groomers. Similarly, LGBTQ+ resource centers have been targeted by her account, resulting in far-right protests outside.
The lies and death threats
Libs of TikTok had arguably its most shameful hours in 2022. Chaichik made false claims the Boston Children’s Hospital was giving gender-reaffirming hysterectomies to minors, something transphobes consistently stoke the flames of, even though there’s no evidence that ever happened there. The account posted 13 different tweets targeting the hospital, which eventually led to death threats for physicians, staff, and patients at the hospital.
Bomb threats followed death threats. The hospital, as well as several others which offer gender-reaffirming care, all had to increase their security as well as move in-person meetings to online spaces. Commentators have often accused Raichik’s account of provoking lone-wolf terrorism and intentionally sparking the flames of hate, all while cleverly using language to avoid responsibility.
Similarly, in Aug. 2023 a school in Tulsa, Oklahoma was hit by multiple bomb threats after an edited video was posted by Libs of Tiktok and in Sept. 2023 an Illinois school had to evacuate students after a series of bomb threats after Libs of TikTok posted a picture of a pride flag in a classroom.
These evacuations seem necessary as the account has been linked to not just threats, but acts of violence. For example, the gunman who killed eight people in the May 2023 mass shooting in a mall in Allen, TX dedicated a long post to Libs of TikTok about an argument they’d had with their high school chemistry teacher in which they threw up a Nazi salute, praised Hitler, and said “white power”.
The current situation
Reports from Vice allege the Kremlin has helped to spread and support Raichik’s videos, as part of its ongoing anti-LGBTQ+ smear campaigns which hinge around the West embracing pedophilia.
Raichik is banned from TikTok and was shadowbanned on Twitter until Elon Musk purchased the website and swung open the doors for banned accounts to return — regardless of why they were restricted in the first place. There are frequent calls to ban the account permanently from X, although this is unlikely on a Musk-owned platform.
The account is currently one of the most well-known extreme right-wing accounts, taking up a place in the pantheon of far-right media synonymous with Alex Jones’ InfoWars.
Unfortunately, as long as accounts like Libs of TikTok exist, the increased scrutiny and dehumanization of trans and gender-diverse people will only persist. Whether culture will shift soon enough for Raichik to be completely de-platformed remains to be seen, but given how single-note her bizarre crusade is, eventually people will fall off the bandwagon.