TikTok has rejected claims that its new US operations are controlling what users post. Thousands of Americans reported glitches after the app became a separate US entity last week. A TikTok US spokesperson told the BBC that technical issues, not censorship, are the cause.
The spokesperson said, “We’ve made significant progress in recovering our US infrastructure with our data center partner. However, some technical issues may still affect posting new content.”
Users also claimed they could not use the name “Epstein” on the app, referring to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender. TikTok clarified that sending the name in direct messages is allowed.
US Split from ByteDance
Last Thursday, TikTok finalized a deal to separate its US operations from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. Shortly after, many users reported seeing “zero views” on new posts and experiencing slower performance.
While TikTok is addressing these issues, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced an investigation into claims that TikTok suppressed content critical of the Trump administration.
Political Content Concerns
Reports indicated some users could not view political posts, including criticism of the federal agents’ shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Newsom’s office confirmed instances of content suppression after TikTok was sold to a Trump-aligned group.
Screenshots circulating on social media showed messages flagged when the word “Epstein” was used. These flags, combined with missing political content in users’ feeds, have fueled speculation of censorship.
TikTok US Ownership
The US version of TikTok is managed by a consortium including Oracle, Silver Lake, and Emirati investor MGX. Oracle, chaired by Larry Ellison, serves as the sole data center partner. Michael Dell, founder of Dell Computers, is also an investor. ByteDance retains a 19.9% stake.
User Backlash
Many celebrities and users expressed concerns. Actress Meg Stalter deleted her account, citing censorship under new ownership. Some Reddit users joked that TikTok might “be dead” in the US after the sale.
Ongoing Technical Problems
Users reported slower app performance, old videos appearing, and limited access to creator monetization tools. Platform monitor Downdetector recorded over 663,000 reports from US users between Saturday and Monday.
TikTok US confirmed the outages stemmed from a power failure at Oracle’s data center, causing a cascading systems failure. The company reassured users that data and content engagement remain safe. Oracle is also reviewing and retraining the algorithm for US users.
