The Hard Truth About Shadowbanning & Algorithmic Bias
Having a Black body in a world that doesn’t see you as human makes life hard. You have to constantly be ‘on.’ Smile in spaces to make sure white people don’t feel uncomfortable. Blend in just enough to avoid being labeled as ‘angry’ or ‘too much.’
When I started making videos almost four months ago, I hesitated for years before even pressing record. I don’t wear makeup. I don’t pluck my eyebrows. I don’t fit the polished influencer mold. But I pushed past that. I showed up every day. And slowly, I started to see myself differently. When you edit videos, you listen to your voice over and over. You watch yourself for hours. And finally, I thought—maybe I’m okay, just as I am.
Then suddenly—my audience stopped seeing me. Not because I changed, but because the algorithm decided I shouldn’t be seen.
I kept questioning myself.
Are my videos too long?
Too short?
Are my hashtags wrong?
Is my title not engaging enough?
But the problem isn’t me. It’s the platforms. That’s how they win.
Because no one asks, ‘Where are the Black creators?’ It’s easier to ignore us than to deal with what’s happening.
What Is Shadowbanning?
Shadowbanning is when social media platforms limit your visibility without telling you. Your followers don’t see your posts, your videos don’t hit the algorithm, and engagement disappears—without any explanation. Black creators have spoken about this for years, but platforms deny it, even when the evidence is clear.
A study titled "Honestly, I Think TikTok has a Vendetta Against Black Creators" found that Black users consistently experience lower visibility, higher content suppression, and less engagement than their white counterparts. TikTok even admitted in 2020 that its moderation system suppressed Black Lives Matter content, claiming it was to ‘prevent bullying.’ But let’s be real—it was about control.
Is It the Words or the Skin?
So, what if it’s not even about the words anymore? What if you can be shadowbanned just for existing?
We see the proof:
Black creators speaking about racism get flagged while white creators doing the same go viral.
Black influencers in beauty and fashion get less brand deals, less exposure, and less algorithmic push than white influencers with the same content.
We have to fight for visibility in every space, even ones that claim to be ‘for everyone.’
It’s exhausting. And it’s by design.
Why This Matters
Imagine how many Black creators gave up, thinking they weren’t good enough—when in reality, they were just being buried by the algorithm. Imagine how much Black history, Black joy, and Black creativity we’ve lost because platforms decided it wasn’t ‘safe’ for the masses.
This isn’t just about one video or one creator. It’s about erasure. And if we don’t talk about it, we let them win.
What Can We Do?
We can’t let these platforms control our reach forever. Here’s how we fight back:
1️⃣ Build Beyond Social Media – Start a blog, an email list, a community. Make your content searchable outside of these apps. 2️⃣ Support & Amplify Each Other – Comment, share, and engage with Black creators to push visibility. 3️⃣ Diversify Where We Post – TikTok and Instagram are flawed, but YouTube, Pinterest, and personal websites offer more control. 4️⃣ Speak On It – Call it out. The more we expose this issue, the harder it is for them to ignore it.
Final Thoughts
I don’t know if this post will be seen. Maybe it’ll get buried like my videos. Maybe it won’t.
But I do know one thing:
They don’t get to erase us. Not today.
If you’re a Black creator and you’ve noticed this—drop a 🖤 in the comments. Let’s see how many of us are out here.
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