Computers & internet

Newsom Probes TikTok Over Alleged Trump Censorship

Is this a case of jumping to conclusions too quickly, justifiably worrying about Trump's TikTok takeover or part of a troubling censorship trend from both parties?

Published JAN 27

Newsom Probes TikTok Over Alleged Trump Censorship

Story

Above: California Governor Gavin Newsom at a press conference in San Francisco, Calif. on Jan. 16. Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The Facts

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday said he was launching a review into whether TikTok is violating state law by censoring content critical of President Donald Trump. His office said it had received reports and confirmed instances of suppressed content.
Los Angeles Times
DNyuz
TikTok finalized a deal last week to establish a new joint venture called TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, with American and international investors holding 80.1% of the capital while ByteDance retains 19.9%. Tech company Oracle, private equity firm Silver Lake and Emirati fund MGX each hold a 15% stake.
Le Figaro
TheWrap
Multiple TikTok users reported issues over the weekend when attempting to post content about ICE enforcement activities and the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, including zero views on videos, slower load times, and content moderation.
NBC
Le Figaro
Brian Krassenstein on X
Other TikTok users, including one reposted by Newsom, shared a screenshot showing they were prevented from sending a message containing the word "Epstein" because it allegedly violated community guidelines. An analysis from The Verge found that it may have been an issue with one-word messages rather than the word "Epstein."
Firstpost
CBS News
Gavin Newsom on X
Verge
Actor Megan Stalter and singer Billie Eilish also claimed TikTok was censoring their content. Stalter stated she was unable to upload anything about ICE even after attempting to disguise it as comedy, while Eilish said TikTok was "silencing" people.
NBC
DNyuz
TikTok attributed the technical problems to a power outage at a data center that caused a cascading systems failure. The company stated users may notice bugs, slower load times or timed-out requests when posting new content due to the impact of the outage.
The Straits Times
TikTok on X

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

It's important not to jump to conclusions the second you encounter a tech issue. According to not only TikTok but also independent media analyses, this was a widespread data center issue, one of the consequences of which was the failure to send one-word messages.

Forbes

Verge

Narrative B

It's not unreasonable to assume that TikTok, just as it comes under the control of billionaire Trump allies, suddenly take action in Trump's favor. Oracle chairman Larry Ellison is a major backer of multiple Trump administration officials, and he's certainly capable of using his company to push their agenda.

Governor Newsom Press Office on X

Middle East Eye

Cynical narrative

Newsom's complaint reeks of hypocrisy. While courting followers online, he champions sweeping censorship through California's Digital Age Assurance Act. His rhetoric masks authoritarian impulses — mandating age verification, expanding surveillance, and empowering government control over digital speech. Republicans are just as bad, funding the same agencies they used to condemn for censoring conservatives online.