TikTok US Rejects Allegations of Content Censorship Amid Technical Disruptions
TikTok has dismissed claims that it is restricting what American users can post, following widespread reports of glitches on the platform shortly after its US operations were spun off from its Chinese parent company.
In a statement responding to the concerns, a spokesperson for TikTok US said the issues stem from technical challenges linked to the transition to a standalone American entity, which was finalised last week.
“We’ve made strong progress restoring our US infrastructure with our domestic data centre partner,” the spokesperson said. “That said, some users may still experience technical difficulties, including problems when uploading new content.”
The company also denied allegations that it had blocked the use of the word “Epstein” on the platform. The name refers to Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender whose case continues to draw political scrutiny, particularly toward the Trump administration’s handling of related matters. TikTok said there are no restrictions on using the name in direct messages.
Following the completion of the deal separating TikTok US from ByteDance, thousands of users reported unusual behaviour on the app, including newly posted videos registering zero views. Others said they were unable to access or share political content.
Despite TikTok’s assurances, California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced an investigation into claims that the platform is suppressing posts critical of President Donald Trump. His office said it had received and verified reports suggesting certain content was being limited following TikTok’s sale to a business group aligned with the former president.
Among the complaints were reports that users could not view or share posts discussing politically sensitive topics, including criticism of a recent fatal shooting of an intensive care nurse by federal agents in Minneapolis.
In a post on X, Newsom’s office said it would review the allegations and examine whether TikTok may have breached California law. The statement included a screenshot shared by another user, which appeared to show TikTok flagging a message containing the word “Epstein.”
TikTok maintains that the reported issues are technical in nature and says work is ongoing to stabilise the platform for US users as the transition continues.
