I have a Tiktok habit. Maybe you do too, or Youtube or Facebook reels are your preference. It’s all innocent and fun until you get duped into believing something that is not true.

The city of Chicago made it very clear they did not want an influx of ICE agents sent in to make deportations. That story has been in the news and is well and legitimately documented elsewhere. What I want to talk about is a video that circulated on TikTok and other social media that suggested Chicago would combat the ICE agents by deploying their salt trucks to block key entry points. The video was well produced, a heavy, discordant song played in the background and the voice-over was firm and convincing. How to deal with an influx of ice? Salt. It all seemed so real, so clever and I thought, “Good. Chicago’s got this.”

Later, also on Tiktok, Tad Stoermer, a resistance history professor at the University of Southern Denmark, posted his clear and rational argument to point out the obvious. The video was a fake. The trucks were real, but the video was, in all likelihood, counter-resistance. The nefarious purpose being that someone genuinely interested in helping Chicago resist ICE agents would have the same thought I did; “Chicago’s got this. They don’t need my help.” The video that seemed to celebrate resistance was in fact, a very clever way to divert actual resistance. Absolutely insidious.

The professor made the point that the salt truck video encourages belief without question. But… if any consumer, (such as myself), had considered even for a moment the consequences of a city mayor putting municipal workers and resources up against incoming federal agents they would have realized those actions would be enormously irresponsible. But TikTok, and other social media reels don’t invite further examination. One video ends, and the next grabs your attention and one’s thoughts remain idly superficial.

Accurate and timely communications are crucial for successful resistance movements. There is nothing wrong with consuming news from a variety of sources, but vigilance and double checking has to be part of the criteria.

Tad Stoermer’s counter-resistance video is eight minutes long and worthy of your time. I highly recommend; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Plaj9nDHVW8. I’m ordering his book to learn more about the history of resistance, what works, what doesn’t, and why.

Keep your joy.

Anne Milne is an every Sunday blogger, unless it’s a holiday weekend. Or summertime.