TikTok's New Ownership Sparks Censorship Fears Over ICE Content
The intersection of platform governance and political expression has taken center stage as TikTok users report systematic difficulties uploading content critical of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, coinciding with the platform's transition to majority American ownership.Comedian Megan Stalter, with hundreds of thousands of followers, found herself at the epicenter of this controversy when her video condemning ICE raids in Minneapolis—which gained over 12,000 reposts on Instagram—repeatedly failed to upload to TikTok. Her response was decisive: she deleted her TikTok account entirely, citing perceived censorship.The pattern extends beyond individual creators. Nurse and author Jen Hamilton, commanding 4.5 million TikTok followers, experienced similar upload failures beginning January 22—the exact day TikTok's US operations transitioned to the new joint venture structure mandated by 2024 legislation requiring divestment from Chinese ownership.TikTok attributes these issues to technical infrastructure problems, specifically a power outage at a US data center that has disrupted upload and recommendation systems. The company's US Joint Venture maintains these glitches are "unrelated to last week's news" and reports "significant progress" in service restoration, though upload difficulties persist.The timing has intensified scrutiny of the platform's new ownership structure, which includes Oracle—whose executive chair Larry Ellison maintains close ties to President Trump—as a key stakeholder. This arrangement grants the joint venture "decision-making authority for trust and safety policies and content moderation," fundamentally altering TikTok's governance framework.Casey Fiesler, associate professor of technology ethics at the University of Colorado Boulder, contextualizes the skepticism: "Given the connection of the new ownership of TikTok to the Trump administration, which is so wrapped up in what is happening with ICE in Minnesota, it's not surprising that there's a significant lack of trust."The technical opacity of content moderation systems makes definitive proof of intentional censorship nearly impossible, notes Jeffrey Blevins, University of Cincinnati media law professor. Even if such censorship were occurring, TikTok operates within its legal rights as a private platform to curate content under First Amendment protections.User behavior data suggests broader concerns about the platform's direction. SensorTower reports TikTok uninstalls have surged nearly 150% over the past five days compared to the previous three months, indicating user migration amid uncertainty.The controversy illuminates fundamental questions about platform governance in an era where social media infrastructure increasingly intersects with geopolitical considerations. As Hamilton noted, creators are adapting with coded language and alternative distribution strategies, demonstrating the resilience of digital discourse even amid platform uncertainty.Whether technical glitch or policy shift, the episode underscores how platform transitions can create information asymmetries that erode user trust—a critical consideration as digital platforms navigate increasingly complex regulatory and political landscapes.Source: CNN Business
