Isn't tiktok a tool used for speech? If we take away phones, radios and TV is that blocking free speech? I can still technically go outdoors and shout but my reach isn't as far. I mean I guess I can technically still articulate my opinions without retaliation and legal sanction but I think this goes against the "censorship" bit if they take away our platforms.

I don’t know. To me there is a difference in blocking a specific tool versus blocking a specific topic or phrase, which is what I would call censorship.

Even the media type being blocked still has (albeit worse) alternatives; instagram, youtube, snapchat, and probably others have a similar format that could still be used. So it’s not really preventing us from using the “short clip” format for speech in general.

Maybe I’m just old. But it feels disingenuous to call it an affront to freedom of speech. TO BE CLEAR, it’s not GOOD, and I don’t think it should HAPPEN. But it’s just weird to see the meaning of words shift before my eyes.

That's fair. This act alone I don't think is an attempt to suppress American voices. It's wrong for other reasons. Still worried it sets a bad precedent for shutting down things they don't like.