TikTok US pushes back on claims it is censoring content

January 27, 2026

TikTok has experienced widespread technical problems affecting US users since becoming a separate American entity last week, with thousands reporting issues including zero views on posts and platform glitches. The company attributes these problems to a power outage at Oracle's data center that caused cascading system failures, though California Governor Gavin Newsom has launched an investigation into allegations of content censorship targeting Trump administration critics. Users have reported being unable to use the name "Epstein" in messages and have noticed reduced visibility of political content, leading to speculation about censorship under the new Trump-aligned ownership group.

Who is affected

US TikTok users (thousands reporting glitches and posting issues)
Content creators experiencing zero views and visibility problems
Creators unable to access monetization tools
ICU nurse Alex Pretti (whose shooting by federal agents was subject of suppressed content)
Users attempting to share content critical of the Trump administration
TikTok US (the newly separated American entity)
California Governor Gavin Newsom's office
Oracle (data center partner experiencing outages)
ByteDance (Chinese parent company maintaining 19.9% stake)

What action is being taken

TikTok is working to recover US infrastructure with its data center partner
TikTok and Oracle are working together to resolve cascading systems failures
California Governor Gavin Newsom is launching an investigation/review into content suppression claims
Newsom's office is probing whether TikTok violated California state laws
Oracle is inspecting and retraining a separate version of TikTok's algorithm for American users

Why it matters

This situation raises significant concerns about potential censorship and content moderation on one of America's most popular social media platforms following its acquisition by a Trump-aligned business group. The timing of technical issues immediately after the ownership change, combined with reports of suppressed political content and inability to use specific names like "Epstein" (connected to ongoing Trump administration controversies), has sparked fears about free speech and corporate influence over public discourse. The involvement of major Trump donors in the new ownership structure creates potential conflicts of interest regarding platform neutrality, which is particularly concerning given TikTok's massive user base and influence on public opinion, especially among younger Americans.

What's next

Oracle will continue inspecting and retraining a separate version of TikTok's algorithm for American users
California Governor Newsom's office will continue its investigation and review of suppressed content to determine if state laws were violated

Read full article from source: BBC