Americans Say They 'Miss Free Speech' From China as US-Owned
Some Americans says they miss the free speech in TikTok when it was not yet US-owned. Solen Feyissa/Unsplash

A wave of criticism is building around TikTok in the US, as users claim the platform has changed since its restructuring of ownership earlier this month.

The reaction has unfolded online, mainly on X, where American users say content now feels more controlled and politically selective.

The claims focus on alleged limits to posts critical of Donald Trump and immigration enforcement. They are emerging just days after TikTok US began operating under a new American-led structure, raising questions about how and why moderation may be shifting.

TikTok Users Miss 'Free Speech' From China

Some users say the platform felt more open when it was linked to China, a comparison that has surprised even long-time critics of Chinese tech firms. One widely shared post came from Gian Marco (@GianmarcoSoresi), who wrote, 'I miss the free speech Americans used to get from China.' Others went further by directly praising the previous ownership structure.

A fan account, Mandopop (@goldenbattalion), posted, 'Me too. I miss Chinese ownership.' Olive Siffleur (@OliveSiffleur) made a similar point while urging people to try other platforms, saying, 'are you on rednote yet? the chinese are still giving us as much free speech as ever there.' These comments gained traction as users linked moderation changes to political pressure in the US.

Suspicion around political influence also surfaced. Poppa Mack Mgmt's BMacKnight (@BMacKnight) claimed, 'Of course - one of his buddies owns it now... and then they control content. It oligarchy at its best - doomed.'

Mad (@Madstar42) echoed the concern more bluntly, asking, 'Well, it's Trump's boys who have bought it, isn't it?'

Latest TikTok Censorships Target Anti-ICE Content

Claims of censorship intensified after protests in Minneapolis on 24 January 2026, when federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, during unrest linked to immigration enforcement. Users say videos mentioning Pretti, ICE, or protest footage struggled to gain views or failed to circulate at all.

During a TikTok outage on 25 January, Emily Grindstaff alleged suppression, saying her video about 'ICE agents murdering a man in Minnesota' had received 'ZERO views' hours after posting. Another user, @jiyoonisms, wrote, 'You cannot repost anything related to Minneapolis or Alex Pretti.'

Other complaints focused on search behaviour. The account vaping through it (@notsurewhatosay) said that searching 'Minnesota ICE' returned unrelated sports content instead, adding that 'the first ~5 videos were the Minnesota ice soccer team.'

Despite the claims, no evidence has been confirmed linking the outage or moderation issues to deliberate censorship.

Censorship Claims Spread Amid New Ownership

TikTok is now run in the US by TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, which is overseen by a seven-member board dominated by American directors. ByteDance, the Chinese parent company, retains a 19.9% stake. US investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX, support the venture.

The platform's recommendation algorithm has been licensed to Oracle, led by Trump ally Larry Ellison, with TikTok stating user data will sit in a 'secure US cloud environment.' The deal has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers.

Senator Ron Wyden warned in December that 'Americans won't be any better off if a TikTok sale ends up with the company in the hands of Trump cronies backed by foreign funding.' Senator Ed Markey has also called for a congressional investigation, citing a 'lack of transparency.'

As debate continues, some users are already leaving. Don Sweeper (@don_sweeper) urged others to move platforms, writing, 'It's time to move to red note or upscroll.' A Conscious Approach (@MindfulLiving69) added, 'They killed the platform. We dumped the app weeks ago.'

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