California Governor Accuses TikTok of Suppressing Trump-Critical Content, Launches Investigation
In a move that has sparked controversy, California Governor Gavin Newsom has accused TikTok of suppressing content critical of President Donald Trump. The accusation comes as the social media platform is undergoing significant changes following its sale to a joint venture led by a business group aligned with Trump.
Newsom's office claims to have received reports and independently confirmed instances of suppressed content that was critical of the president, prompting him to launch an investigation into TikTok's content moderation practices. The review will determine whether these practices violate state law in California.
In response to Newsom's allegations, a representative for the joint venture pointed to a technical issue – a data center power outage – as the cause of the problems, stating that it was not intentional and resulted in system failures that affected users' experiences on the platform.
However, with Trump having praised TikTok for its role in his 2024 election campaign, and the app being used by over 200 million Americans, concerns about censorship and data protection have been raised. Experts say it's not surprising that there is a lack of trust in TikTok's new ownership.
Steve Vladeck, a professor at Georgetown University's School of Law, noted that his own video on reports of federal immigration officers' sweeping power to forcibly enter homes without warrants was placed under review. Casey Fiesler, an expert in technology ethics and internet law at the University of Colorado, echoed this sentiment, stating that she had encountered problems uploading videos related to immigration crackdowns in Minneapolis.
The joint venture's deal to secure US data has been praised by Trump, but critics argue it does not go far enough to address concerns about national security and privacy. The arrangement sees 80.1% of the venture owned by American and global investors, while ByteDance will retain 19.9%.
As tensions between Newsom and Trump escalate, the investigation into TikTok's content moderation practices is likely to have significant implications for free speech on social media platforms in the US.
In a move that has sparked controversy, California Governor Gavin Newsom has accused TikTok of suppressing content critical of President Donald Trump. The accusation comes as the social media platform is undergoing significant changes following its sale to a joint venture led by a business group aligned with Trump.
Newsom's office claims to have received reports and independently confirmed instances of suppressed content that was critical of the president, prompting him to launch an investigation into TikTok's content moderation practices. The review will determine whether these practices violate state law in California.
In response to Newsom's allegations, a representative for the joint venture pointed to a technical issue – a data center power outage – as the cause of the problems, stating that it was not intentional and resulted in system failures that affected users' experiences on the platform.
However, with Trump having praised TikTok for its role in his 2024 election campaign, and the app being used by over 200 million Americans, concerns about censorship and data protection have been raised. Experts say it's not surprising that there is a lack of trust in TikTok's new ownership.
Steve Vladeck, a professor at Georgetown University's School of Law, noted that his own video on reports of federal immigration officers' sweeping power to forcibly enter homes without warrants was placed under review. Casey Fiesler, an expert in technology ethics and internet law at the University of Colorado, echoed this sentiment, stating that she had encountered problems uploading videos related to immigration crackdowns in Minneapolis.
The joint venture's deal to secure US data has been praised by Trump, but critics argue it does not go far enough to address concerns about national security and privacy. The arrangement sees 80.1% of the venture owned by American and global investors, while ByteDance will retain 19.9%.
As tensions between Newsom and Trump escalate, the investigation into TikTok's content moderation practices is likely to have significant implications for free speech on social media platforms in the US.
this is so shady! think about it - trump's all over tiktok promoting his campaign and now cali governor newsom is accusing them of suppressing content that criticizes trumps actions? its like he's using tiktok as a tool to silence opposing views 
and if this happens anywhere else, who knows what will happen? gotta be careful with our data and the companies we trust 
The California governor's move to investigate TikTok is super interesting 
But let's get real for a sec - this whole thing has all the makings of a classic "big tech vs small government" debate 
And what about Trump's praise for the joint venture deal - is that just another way to get ahead in the 2024 election? 
It's all getting super murky, but one thing's for sure: we need to keep a close eye on how this whole thing plays out 
. think this is gonna be a long & messy investigation 
like how can they do this? shouldn't there be rules about censorship? 
or maybe its just a coincidence that these reports started after the sale happened? 
also what does this mean for tiktok's users in california? are they gonna lose their free speech or something 
And have we thought this through enough? Is 80.1% of ownership by American and global investors still too much for us to handle? 
I'm torn... 
, just what we need, a politician trying to become a cyber detective 
. Like, California Governor Gavin Newsom thinks he can investigate TikTok and magically find evidence of suppressed Trump-critical content 
? Give me a break 
. This whole thing reeks of politics as usual 
.
for its " fantastic" role in his election campaign 
. Can we please focus on actual issues instead of cherry-picking social media platforms to rail against 
. But let's not confuse a legitimate concern with politics as usual 
.
! Governor Newsom accusing TikTok of suppressing Trump-critical content? It's like, what's next? 
I mean, I get it, with Trump having praised TikTok and all, but still... shouldn't we be worried about censorship on social media? 
. Steve Vladeck and Casey Fiesler are speaking truth, and we need more people like them advocating for tech ethics and internet law. #TechForThePeople
#TikTokTransparency
We need to keep an eye on these big tech players and make sure they're not using their power to silence us. 
without caring about the consequences 
️. And can we talk about how Gavin Newsom is on to something here? 
His investigation is super necessary 
. I mean, who wants their right to free speech being tampered with? 
, we need more accountability on these platforms 
.
. I mean, I get why California Governor Gavin Newsom is launching an investigation - it does seem suspicious that content critical of Trump was getting suppressed on TikTok. But at the same time, a data center power outage as the cause? That sounds legit 
? I feel like he's just trying to distract us from something else going on.
.
- can we trust TikTok (and other social media companies) with our data and our freedom of expression? 
The stats on Trump's campaign support for TikTok are also concerning - did you know he praised the app during his 2024 election campaign? 
75% of users report seeing more conservative content on their For You page after the joint venture took over.
42% of experts say they've experienced issues with uploading videos related to sensitive topics.
omg this is getting so interesting! like california gov gavin newsom is not happy about tiktok suppressing trump critical content and now he's launching an investigation 
also i'm low-key glad someone is holding tiktok accountable for their content moderation practices 