Is Your FYP Being Filtered? California Probes TikTok for Allegedly Hiding Trump Criticism

TikTok is under intense scrutiny following claims that the platform suppressed videos critical of Donald Trump. Several creators noticed a significant drop in reach, sparking fears that certain political viewpoints are being silenced. Regulators are now stepping in to determine if the social media giant intentionally manipulated its algorithm.

TikTok is facing intense scrutiny following allegations that the platform suppressed videos critical of Donald Trump. Several creators noticed a significant drop in reach, sparking fears that certain political viewpoints are being silenced. Regulators are now stepping in to determine if the social media giant intentionally manipulated its algorithm.

This move follows ByteDance's announcement of a new partnership designed to protect American user data. By forming a US-controlled entity, TikTok's parent company hopes to prevent the app—which serves over 200 million people in the United States—from being banned in the country.

California's Official Inquiry

On Monday, Newsom's office posted on X that they have 'received reports, and independently confirmed instances, of suppressed content critical of President Trump' after a group linked to the President purchased a stake in the app.

Although they provided no further details, the office noted that 'Gavin Newsom is launching a review of this conduct and is calling on the California Department of Justice to determine whether it violates California law.'

A spokesperson for the new American partnership addressed the situation by highlighting an earlier explanation regarding a power failure at a data centre. They dismissed claims of intentional censorship, stating, 'It would be inaccurate to report that this is anything but the technical issues we've transparently confirmed.'

The partnership explained that the power cut might cause users to encounter glitches, sluggish upload speeds, or failed posts. In a public message shared before Newsom spoke, the company clarified that 'the outage caused a cascading systems failure' which they were still fixing, despite the fact that 'the network has been recovered.'

'We've made significant progress in recovering our US infrastructure with our US data centre partner,' a TikTok US spokesperson told the BBC. They noted, however, that some people in the US might still encounter 'technical issues, including when posting new content' as the team works toward a full recovery.

The 'Epstein' Controversy

The company also countered accusations that users were being blocked from typing the name 'Epstein.' TikTok clarified that there are no prohibitions on using the name in private messages, referring to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Trump administration has remained under intense pressure regarding its management of the Epstein files and related investigations.

Governor Newsom and President Trump have a long history of public friction, frequently trading barbs over policy and leadership. This latest accusation from the Democratic governor surfaced as a wave of TikTok users reported strange glitches and claimed the app was actively censoring their posts.

Georgetown University law professor Steve Vladeck shared that his video—which covered reports of federal immigration agents potentially entering homes without warrants—was marked as being 'under review.' The footage focused on the possibility of officers using extensive powers to bypass the need for a judge's approval before a forced entry.

Scepticism Over New Ownership

Casey Fiesler, a University of Colorado academic specialising in technology ethics and internet law, remarked to CNN that a 'significant lack of trust' in TikTok's new owners was predictable. She shared her experience encountering difficulties when attempting to post videos referencing the recent immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis.

After years of legal and political pressure from Washington, this recent deal serves as a major breakthrough for TikTok. The platform had previously been at the centre of a heated debate over data safety, facing intense scrutiny from both the Trump and Biden governments before this new arrangement was settled.

Securing the App's Future

In a move commended by President Trump, ByteDance confirmed that a new entity, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, will manage the app's algorithms and data. The deal aims to fortify cybersecurity and privacy standards to ensure the platform remains secure for its US audience.

President Trump, who has more than 16 million followers on his personal page, has praised the app for helping secure his victory in the 2024 election. The ownership of the new entity will be split, with ByteDance keeping 19.9% and a consortium of US and global backers taking an 80.1% majority share.

The venture is anchored by three primary investors: Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX, each holding 15% of the shares. A White House official confirmed that the arrangement has received the formal go-ahead from both the US and Chinese governments.