‘Cute winter boots’ explained: What does the phrase mean and why is everyone on TikTok saying it?
‘Cute winter boots’ explained: What does the phrase mean and why is everyone on TikTok saying it?
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TikTok users are using the phrase “winter boots” or “cute winter boots” to bypass censorship against political discourse. If you’ve been scrolling through TikTok confused by videos using the phrase “winter boots” or “cute winter boots”, you are not alone. Despite the innocuous name, the phrase has become a growing trend to discuss political topics on TikTok which might otherwise get people shadowbanned.
Many TikTok users may be relieved that Donald Trump halted the recent ban, but that doesn’t mean they’ve come around to supporting the President. Just days after the inauguration, users started posting videos critical of Trump and employing the phrase to bypass any potential algorithm ban that prevents them from discussing politics.
Videos using the phrase have seen people talking about Trump’s policies, detailing local protests and how to stay safe at demonstrations, how to deal with ICE enforcement officers and even questioning the legitimacy of the 2024 election. Millions of people have watched these videos and search interest in the term spiked globally on 25 January.
The phrase ‘cute winter boots’ may evoke lifestyle trend discourse, but it is instead being used in an attempt to avoid censorship while talking about politics. One theory suggests that the term feeds into TikTok’s pivot towards e-commerce, after the platform launched its TikTok Shop in September 2023. Another suggests the term is an example of algo-speak, where TikTok users have started switching out phrases that might be flagged in the search algorithm.
