CT: TikTok Censorship, Popular Sad Music, and Antisocial Media
CT: TikTok Censorship, Popular Sad Music, and Antisocial Media  
Podcast: Axis Conversations
Published On: Thu Jan 29 2026
Description: TikTok has a new US owner, which users worry is muddying the platform's approach to censorship; data shows that sad and angsty songs are ruling the streaming charts, and it's official: our algorithms are making us lonelier. Emoji of the Week: 🙂 Axis Resource--> Check out A Parent's Guide to Emoji In Other News: Last week, Alex Honnold free-soloed Taipei 101 live on Netflix, with roughly 6.2 million people watching him climb a 1,667-foot skyscraper without a rope. The 2026 Oscar nominations dropped last week, with director Ryan Coogler's horror-thriller Sinners receiving a record-breaking 16 nominations. Speaking of awards season, after a long hiatus, Justin Bieber is slated to return to the Grammys stage this Sunday night. Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, took out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal on Monday to apologize for his antisemitic comments and psychotic behavior. Athleisure is out for 2026. Some Gen Z creators are leaning into vintage (meaning 90s and early 2000s) sportswear and putting their matching workout sets out to pasture. --> Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. --> Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! --> Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. --> For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.