California Governor Gavin Newsom has launched a review into TikTok’s content moderation practices following allegations that the platform suppressed posts critical of President Donald Trump. The probe comes amid reports of technical issues and concerns over political censorship.
Immediate Action & Core Facts
Newsom’s office announced on Monday that it had received and independently confirmed reports of TikTok suppressing content critical of President Trump. The governor called on the California Department of Justice to determine whether the platform’s actions violated state law.
TikTok, now under majority U.S. ownership through a newly formed joint venture, blamed the issues on a data center power outage that caused a cascading systems failure. The platform denied allegations of censorship, stating that technical glitches were responsible for user-reported problems, including delayed posts and restricted content.
Deeper Dive & Context
Background on TikTok’s U.S. Deal
The controversy follows last week’s finalization of a deal in which TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, established a majority U.S.-owned joint venture to secure U.S. user data and avoid a potential ban. The deal was praised by Trump, who has over 16 million followers on the platform and credited it with helping him win the 2024 election.
The joint venture, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, is led by American and global investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi-based MGX, each holding a 15% stake. ByteDance retains a 19.9% stake.
User Reports and Technical Issues
Users reported widespread problems, including posts receiving “zero views” and difficulties accessing political content, such as criticism of federal actions like the shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Some users also encountered errors when attempting to send messages containing the word “Epstein,” though TikTok denied any intentional censorship.
TikTok confirmed it was investigating why some users experienced issues with the messaging feature, stating that the platform does not prohibit sharing the name “Epstein.” The sensitivity around the name stems from Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender, whose case has been the subject of ongoing Department of Justice investigations.
Political Tensions and Legal Implications
Newsom, a Democrat, and Trump, a Republican, have a history of public criticism. The governor’s office linked the allegations of censorship to TikTok’s sale to a “Trump-aligned business group,” though it did not provide further details.
The probe raises questions about the platform’s content moderation policies and potential legal violations under California law. Meanwhile, TikTok maintains that the issues are purely technical and unrelated to political bias.
The White House and TikTok did not immediately respond to requests for comment.