If you spend time in social media, you’ve probably noticed that people… don’t die anymore. Not because the world has suddenly become safer, but because the algorithm doesn’t like the word death. Platforms like TikTok increasingly filter content containing words considered “sensitive” – even when they appear in educational, cinematic, or humorous contexts.
As a result, creators have had to become exceptionally inventive to avoid losing reach while still communicating their messages clearly.
Phonetic Tricks and Misspellings
Instead of the word kill, you might see k!ll, k1ll, or ki1l – the algorithm doesn’t recognise these versions, but users know exactly what they mean.
Similarly, suicide is often replaced by sicide*, self-jumper, or unalive – an English euphemism that’s become particularly common among creators.
Euphemisms and Semantic Substitutes
Creators use softer, sometimes humorous expressions:
- “Dead” → “Left the chat,” “Logged out of life,” “Exited the server of existence”
- “Murder” → “Made someone no longer present,” “Removed a character from the plot,” “Game over for that person”
These phrases not only bypass filters but also become part of the broader internet language and meme culture.
Some groups develop their own systems of coded words and abbreviations. For example:
- “Unalive” instead of “dead”
- “Unalived” instead of “killed”
- “Commit sewer slide” (a play on commit suicide)
- “Took a dirt nap” (an American euphemism meaning “sleeping in the ground”)
This forms a kind of insider language – understandable to viewers, but invisible to the algorithm. Absurd? Maybe. But this is how content survives in a world where a single word can kill your reach.
Irony and context
Many creators escape censorship by using humor, sarcasm, or absurd metaphors. Instead of saying “the character was murdered,” someone might say: “The screenwriter decided his subscription to life has expired.” It’s not only an effective way to avoid being flagged but also a way to build a distinctive tone and a closer connection with the audience.
Why does it work?
Platform algorithms operate primarily on the basis of keyword detection rather than context. Creative writing and euphemisms allow users to bypass automatic filters without breaking community rules. Over time, a separate algorithmic slang has even emerged, functioning in parallel with colloquial language. This is a fascinating example of how users adapt language to technological limitations — and how internet language evolves faster than platform regulations.
The paradox is that these restrictions were intended to protect users — especially younger ones — from harmful content. In practice, however, they have created a kind of new internet dialect: a language of circumvention, half-words and winks to the viewer. From a linguistic perspective, this is a fascinating experiment. TikTok not only influences what we watch, but also how we speak and think. It forces us to be creative and, at times, to comment ironically on reality. Because when you say that someone has ‘logged out of life,’ you know that it’s not about a computer.
Check our social media: Facebook / LinkedIn
If you want to read about previous years with MD Online, click here!
Leave a Reply