Tik Tok
If you’ve been scrolling through social media this week, you’ve probably seen the chaos. TikTok—the app 170 million Americans can’t seem to quit—is caught in yet another firestorm. But this time, it’s different. We’re not just talking about potential bans anymore. We’re talking about censorship allegations, technical glitches, and a complete ownership overhaul that’s got everyone from California Governor Gavin Newsom to Billie Eilish raising red flags.
Let me walk you through what’s actually going on with the TikTok controversy in 2026, because trust me, it’s messier than your Page algorithm.
The Quick Backstory: How We Got Here
First, a brief reality check. TikTok faced a nationwide ban from January 19 to January 22, 2025, due to U.S. government concerns over potential user data collection and influence operations by China. The app actually went dark for about 14 hours before President Trump signed executive orders delaying enforcement.
Fast forward to January 2026, and TikTok has finalized a deal to form a new U.S.-based entity with Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi-based MGX owning a combined 45% stake, while ByteDance retains just 19.9%. The new entity is called TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, and it officially took control last week.
Sounds like a happy ending, right? Not quite.
The Censorship Allegations Exploding Right Now
Here’s where things get wild. Over the weekend of January 25-26, 2026, TikTok users started noticing something seriously off. Videos about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), particularly content covering the fatal shooting in Minneapolis involving two people killed by federal agents, were allegedly getting zero views.
But it wasn’t just ICE content. Users discovered they couldn’t even send the word “Epstein” in direct messages. Yeah, you read that right—the name of the convicted sex offender whose past connections to Trump have been heavily scrutinized.
Journalist David Leavitt shared a screenshot showing videos on his profile flagged as “Ineligible for Recommendation,” claiming TikTok had begun censoring anti-Trump and anti-ICE content. The post went viral with over 1 million views.
Who’s speaking out:
- Billie Eilish posted on Instagram that “tiktok is silencing people btw” after her brother Finneas’s video about the Minneapolis incident got barely 100 likes
- Megan Stalter wrote she was “unable to upload anything about ICE even after I tried to trick the page by making it look like a comedy video”
- Sen. Chris Murphy called it “at the top of the list” of threats to democracy
- Governor Gavin Newsom launched an official California investigation
TikTok’s Response: “It’s Just a Power Outage”
TikTok’s official response? Technical difficulties due to a power outage at a data center. Jamie Favazza, head of communications for TikTok’s new U.S. business, insisted the censorship worries were “unfounded.”
The company posted on X that it was “continuing to resolve a major infrastructure issue” causing videos to incorrectly show zero views. They claim it’s all just an unfortunate coincidence that these glitches happened days after Trump-aligned investors took majority control.
But here’s the thing—when I tried it myself along with other journalists, messages containing the word “Epstein” did trigger an error message saying “This message may be in violation of our Community Guidelines”. That’s not exactly a power outage, is it?
The Oracle Connection Nobody’s Talking About
Let’s talk about who actually owns TikTok now, because this matters. Oracle and Silver Lake, both U.S.-based firms, along with Abu Dhabi’s MGX, serve as managing investors with 45% ownership. Oracle is run by Larry Ellison, who happens to be a billionaire Republican donor and longtime Trump ally.
During Trump’s first term, when he attempted to ban TikTok, he selected Oracle to lead a takeover effort. Now, in 2026, it’s finally happened—but with Trump’s blessing this time around.
Other investors include Dell CEO Michael Dell’s investment office and quantitative trading firm Susquehanna International Group. ByteDance keeps 19.9%—just under the 20% cap allowed by law.
The algorithm itself? Oracle will “review and validate source code on an ongoing basis,” and the U.S. operators will “retrain, test, and update” the content recommendation algorithm using data from American users.
Translation: The algorithm that decides what you see is being rebuilt from scratch by a company run by Trump’s friends.
Why Users Are Genuinely Freaked Out
The timing couldn’t look worse if TikTok tried. Here’s the sequence:
- Thursday, January 23: Deal finalizes with Trump-aligned investors
- Saturday, January 25: Fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis
- Sunday, January 26: Users report content about the incident getting zero visibility
- Monday, January 27: “Epstein” becomes unsendable in DMs
- Also Monday: Newsom launches investigation
Many TikTok users have said the sale could spell the beginning of the end of the platform’s status as a place to share news and analysis that is often progressive and critical of right-wing and conservative politics.
The fear isn’t just about one glitch. It’s about what happens when a platform that 170 million Americans use for news and political organizing gets controlled by people with clear political allegiances.
What California’s Investigation Actually Means
Newsom’s office stated they have “received reports — and independently confirmed instances — of suppressed content critical of President Trump”, though they haven’t provided public evidence yet.
Under California state law, social media companies must be transparent about their content moderation policies. If TikTok is found to be selectively suppressing political speech while claiming it’s just technical issues, that could violate state regulations.
Newsom’s calling on the California Department of Justice to determine whether TikTok’s conduct breaks the law. This isn’t just political theater—California has aggressive consumer protection laws that could actually impose real consequences.
The Privacy Policy Nobody Read
Oh, and there’s one more thing users are furious about. TikTok just updated its privacy policy, and the revised agreement allows TikTok to collect more detailed information, including precise location data, expanded interaction with AI tools and broader use of personal data across advertising partners.
Tech consumer advocates warn this is especially concerning for immigrant communities who might now worry their location data could be shared with government agencies.
What Experts Are Saying
Legal scholars I’ve spoken to point out that critics of the ban argue such actions set a precedent for government overreach and raise First Amendment concerns. But now we’re facing the opposite problem—instead of government censorship, we might have politically-motivated private censorship.
“The bill to ban TikTok was a mistake,” wrote Rep. Ro Khanna, who represents Silicon Valley. “I led the effort to repeal it, and as the new ranking member of the Select Committee on China, I will make sure free speech is protected.”
Even some Republicans are uncomfortable. Sen. Ted Cruz, who supported forcing ByteDance to sell, told reporters: “Big Tech has a long, troubled history of censorship, and Big Tech should not be engaged in censorship, because America is in the age of free speech.”
The Bottom Line: What This Means for You
Here’s what I think is happening: TikTok legitimately had technical issues. Power outages do happen. But the timing, combined with the “Epstein” filtering and the pattern of which content got suppressed, makes it impossible to ignore the political optics.
Whether it’s intentional censorship or just catastrophically bad timing, the result is the same—trust in the platform is eroding fast.
What you should do:
- Diversify your platforms: Don’t rely solely on TikTok for news or activism
- Screenshot everything: If you’re posting political content, keep records
- Read that privacy policy: Seriously, know what data you’re sharing
- Stay informed: Follow the California investigation and any federal responses
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TikTok banned in the United States in 2026?
No. Although a law went into effect that would ban TikTok, President Trump has issued executive orders directing the Justice Department not to penalize tech companies who host TikTok, keeping the app widely available.
Who owns TikTok now?
Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX own 45% combined, eight other investors own 35%, and ByteDance retains 19.9% of the new U.S. entity.
Can TikTok actually censor the word “Epstein”?
Users have reported being unable to send “Epstein” in direct messages, with the app claiming it violates community guidelines. TikTok says they’re investigating this issue and have no rules against the name.
Is the California investigation legitimate?
Yes. Governor Newsom’s office has received reports and independently confirmed instances of suppressed content critical of President Trump and is investigating whether this violates state law.
What happened to the TikTok ban law?
The Supreme Court upheld the ban law in January 2025, but Trump has repeatedly delayed enforcement through executive orders while negotiating the sale.
Why do people think TikTok is censoring content?
Users alleged censorship as they tried to post videos related to ICE and the fatal shooting in Minneapolis, with many reporting zero views on political content immediately after the ownership change.
Is my data safe on TikTok?
The updated privacy policy allows collection of precise location data and broader use of personal data across advertising partners. Security experts recommend reviewing what information you’re comfortable sharing.
Will TikTok’s algorithm change?
Yes. The U.S. operators will retrain, test, and update the content recommendation algorithm using data from American users, potentially changing what content you see.
Can I still download TikTok?
Yes, TikTok remains available on both Apple’s App Store and Google Play Store in the United States.
What should creators do right now?
Diversify to other platforms like Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and emerging alternatives. Don’t put all your eggs in one algorithmic basket.
The Bigger Picture
This TikTok saga reveals something bigger than just one app’s drama. It’s about who controls the digital town squares where Americans get their news, organize politically, and express themselves.
We traded fear of Chinese government influence for actual American billionaire control. Whether that’s better depends entirely on whether you trust Oracle’s Larry Ellison more than you trust ByteDance.
The irony? The law requiring TikTok’s sale cited risks of the Chinese government accessing user data for surveillance or influence operations. Now we’re worried about American companies doing exactly that.
Welcome to 2026, where your dance app became a constitutional crisis.
Stay updated on the latest tech controversies and digital privacy issues at nethok.com. For more on social media regulation, check out our guide to platform accountability.
External Resources:
- Electronic Frontier Foundation on TikTok
- FCC Social Media Guidelines
- California Consumer Privacy Act
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