Libs of TikTok

Libs of TikTok is a username for various far-right and anti-LGBTQ social-media accounts operated by Chaya Raichik (/ˈxɑːjə ˈraɪtʃɪk/ KHAH-yə RY-chik), a former real estate agent. Raichik uses the accounts to repost content created by left-wing and LGBTQ people on TikTok or other social-media platforms, often with mocking or derogatory commentary. With millions of followers on Twitter/X, Libs of TikTok is influential among American conservatives and the political right.

The accounts promote hate speech and transphobia, and spread false claims, especially relating to medical care of transgender children. Libs of TikTok posts regularly label LGBTQ people and mental-health providers as "groomers". Libs of TikTok's social-media accounts have received several temporary suspensions and a permanent suspension from TikTok.

Libs of TikTok posts have resulted in threats, harassment and/or doxing from their followers against teachers, medical providers, children's hospitals, libraries, LGBTQ venues, and educational facilities. Twenty-one bomb threats have been linked to Libs of TikTok's posts.

In November 2020, Raichik created a Twitter account with the handle @shaya69830552, which she later changed to @shaya_ray. According to The Daily Dot, "in its early days, [the account] primarily existed as a reply account that routinely showed up in the comments of prominent conservatives on Twitter." Under these prior handles, Raichik downplayed the severity of COVID-19, promoted the disproven conspiracy theory that the 2020 United States presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump through election fraud, and made posts showing that she was present at the 2021 United States Capitol attack. Raichik criticized the law enforcement officers at the Capitol. She tweeted that she did not enter the Capitol building like "a few crazy people" had and called the breach "mostly peaceful", and she later favorably compared the attack to a Black Lives Matter protest. In early 2021, the account had less than 1,000 followers.

The account's handle was later changed to @cuomomustgo, focusing on demanding the resignation of then-governor of New York Andrew Cuomo following the sexual harassment allegations levied against him. Raichik also used the account to advocate for the recall of California governor Gavin Newsom. By March 2021, the handle had changed to @houseplantpotus, a parody account tweeting as a houseplant in the White House during the presidency of Joe Biden. On April 19, 2021, Raichik adopted the moniker @libsoftiktok, promising to "help you find your daily dose of cringe". In May and June 2021, before and during Pride Month, Libs of TikTok started posting anti-LGBTQ commentary, including her first tweet promoting the LGBTQ grooming conspiracy theory. The account's early reposts also included reposts of videos by progressives about Anthony Fauci and vaccinations that it deemed cringeworthy. Slate linked Libs of TikTok's early success to "shamelessly tagging alt-right and far-right heavy hitters on Twitter, a strategy she continues to use to this day".

By August 2021, Libs of TikTok had amassed around 65,000 followers. In August 2021, podcaster Joe Rogan began promoting @LibsofTikTok on The Joe Rogan Experience, leading to a large increase in followers. That same month, lawyer and Republican Party operative Grant Lally filed a trademark for Libs of TikTok as a "news reporter service". The account has been promoted by Donald Trump Jr., journalist Glenn Greenwald and political commentators Tucker Carlson, Jesse Watters and Laura Ingraham; has been featured in the New York Post, The Federalist, The Post Millennial, Fox News and in other right-wing news outlets; and its posts have been retweeted by Meghan McCain.

Prior to being revealed as the account creator, Raichik was interviewed anonymously on several occasions, during which she boasted that posts from the account led to the firings of several teachers. Raichik encouraged followers to join local school boards in order to remove teachers who teach about gender and sexuality. Raichik told the New York Post that "I don't do this for money or fame" and "I'm not some politician or blue-check journalist."

In April 2022, details began to surface about Libs of TikTok's identity. Raichik had registered the domain name LibsofTikTok.us earlier in October 2021; .us domains do not allow for anonymous registration, meaning Raichik's full name and other information was listed publicly on the WHOIS record for the domain. This enabled software developer Travis Brown to name Raichik as the account's creator in early April 2022.