TikTok becomes a showcase of historical denial in “modifications” with young language

As Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay celebrate decades of redemocratization, a movement in the opposite direction is progressing across social media. TikTok profiles which have more than 10 million views attempt to transform the executioners of the military dictatorships of the Southern Cone into heroic characters.

In less than a minute, the consensus consolidated by historians of Latin America is put into perspective by “retouching”. These are short videos, with pop aesthetic effects and trending songs on social networks. Generally, this content aims to highlight a personality, such as characters, footballers, singers, among others. Here, the “influencers” are generals and authoritarian presidents of military regimes.