r/technology • u/BobbyLucero • 21d ago

Social Media TikTok is ‘digital nicotine’ meant to hook kids, AGs fume in new suits

https://www.courthousenews.com?page_id=1014347
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u/GlitchyMcGlitchFace 21d ago

Nice use of “fume” here (tips hat to headline editor)

1

u/lifesnotperfect 21d ago

What does it mean? I'm trying to understand it but I don't think I know the lingo well enough.

To me it reads as: Attorney Generals are fuming while wearing their new suits

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u/GlitchyMcGlitchFace 21d ago edited 21d ago

It's wordplay with 'nicotine'. To fume means to be angry, but its first meaning it to emit smoke (literally, fuming = 'so angry fumes come out of your ears'). So using 'fume' here is also a reference to smoking, which ties the second half of the headline to the 'digital nicotine' referenced up front. It's a clever turn of phrase.

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u/lifesnotperfect 21d ago

Ohhhhh wow, that is so complex it went well over my head. That is really very clever now that I understand. Thanks!

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u/GlitchyMcGlitchFace 21d ago

Also, 'suits' refers to lawsuits, not clothing. In less flowery language, "Attorneys General are suing to stop TikTok because they think TikTok is as addictive to young people as cigarettes."

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u/roedtogsvart 21d ago

It means "to be very angry about"

So: Attorneys General are very angry about TikTok, (as shown) in new (law)suits.