Recent days have seen the popular video app TikTok embroiled in a major controversy in the United States. Following a significant ownership change, numerous users have alleged that the platform is censoring political content, particularly posts critical of President Donald Trump and those mentioning figures like Jeffrey Epstein. These claims have sparked a formal investigation by California’s governor and intense debate about free speech, algorithmic control, and the influence of the platform’s new leadership, which includes prominent Trump ally Larry Ellison.
The Censorship Allegations and Technical Troubles
Shortly after TikTok’s U.S. operations transitioned to a new, majority-American ownership group last week, a wave of user complaints emerged.
· Content Suppression: Creators, including politicians like California State Senator Scott Wiener, reported that videos discussing sensitive topics received zero views or were blocked entirely. Specific content cited includes criticism of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions in Minneapolis and commentary in on the fatal shooting of a nurse by federal agents.
· The “Epstein” Glitch: Many users found they were unable to send direct messages containing the word “Epstein,” referring to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The app flagged these messages as a potential violation of community guidelines, though TikTok states this was a technical error and that no such rule exists.
· Official Response: TikTok’s U.S. venture has firmly denied all allegations of intentional censorship. The company attributes the widespread issues—including videos stuck at zero views and slow loading times—to a “cascading systems failure” caused by a power outage at an Oracle data center. Oracle confirmed a weather-related power outage affected its services.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s Investigation
In response to these reports, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced he is launching a state review to determine if TikTok is violating California law by suppressing content critical of President Trump. His office stated it independently confirmed instances where content was blocked. This move has placed significant political pressure on the platform as it navigates its new structure.
A New Ownership Structure with Political Ties
The censorship claims are magnified by the political background of TikTok’s new ownership, a deal that averted a potential nationwide ban of the app.
· The Ownership Consortium: The new U.S. entity, TikTok U.S. Data Security Joint Venture LLC, is 80.1% owned by American and global investors, with Chinese parent company ByteDance retaining a 19.9% stake. Major investors include Oracle, Silver Lake, and the Emirati AI firm MGX.
· The Larry Ellison Connection: A central figure in this shift is Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle and a longtime friend and supporter of President Trump. Ellison was previously suggested by Trump as a potential buyer for TikTok. Oracle is not only a major investor but also the sole data center partner for TikTok’s U.S. operations, giving it substantial technical influence.
· Fears of a Political Shift: Ellison’s involvement has led to public speculation that TikTok, like Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter), could experience a shift in content moderation to favor pro-Trump narratives. Tech journalist Jacob Ward noted that while current issues may be technical, the platform’s architecture, originally built with sophisticated Chinese content moderation capabilities, gives new owners powerful tools to censor content if they choose.
Larry Ellison, Media Influence, and Pro-Israel Advocacy
The scrutiny extends beyond TikTok to Larry Ellison’s broader media ambitions and his well-documented support for Israel, which some critics connect to fears of biased content control.
Ellison’s Media Empire Expansion
Larry Ellison and his son, David Ellison, are actively consolidating influence in mainstream media.
· David Ellison’s Skydance recently completed an $8.4 billion merger with Paramount Global, gaining control of CBS and other major franchises. Larry Ellison financed the deal.
· Following the merger, David Ellison appointed Bari Weiss—a self-described “Zionist Fanatic”—as editor-in-chief of CBS News after acquiring her media outlet, The Free Press, for $150 million. Weiss is known for her pro-Israel stance and criticism of what she views as left-leaning editorial bias.
· Reports indicate that the new Paramount leadership plans to eliminate diversity hiring policies and has installed a conservative ombudsman to review complaints of bias at CBS News.
Ellison’s Pro-Israel Stance and Allegations
Larry Ellison, who was raised by adoptive Jewish parents, is a major donor to Jewish and pro-Israel causes.
· He is reported to be the largest private funder of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and a close friend of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
· According to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, Oracle’s technology partnerships with the Israeli government and military contribute to “grave human rights violations” and make the company complicit in the occupation.
· A decades-old anecdote that recently resurfaced highlights Ellison’s personal awareness of antisemitic imagery: he once renamed his superyacht Izanami after realizing its name spelled backward read “I’m a Nazi”.
Connecting the Dots: Fears of a “Pro-Zionist Media Monopoly”
Critics, such as those writing in Workers World, express alarm at this convergence. They argue the Ellison family is building a “pro-Zionist media monopoly” that could control narratives across social media (via TikTok) and traditional news (via CBS/Paramount) to promote a pro-Israel viewpoint and suppress Palestinian perspectives. Following the TikTok deal, Netanyahu himself was quoted saying, “Weapons change over time; the most important ones are social media,” highlighting the perceived strategic value of the platform.
Public Reaction and Expert Analysis
The situation has created a crisis of trust among TikTok’s user base, particularly its younger, politically engaged demographic.
· User Backlash: Many prominent creators and celebrities have spoken out. Actress Meg Stalter announced she deleted her account due to censorship concerns. Musician Finneas claimed he was “shadowbanned” after posting content critical of ICE. Online, hashtags like #TikTokCensorship trended, and some declared the app “dead”.
· Market Impact: Data from Sensor Tower showed daily app uninstalls surged by 130% in the days following the ownership change, though overall daily active users still increased slightly, suggesting a vocal but limited protest.
· Expert Perspective: Social media analysts note that perception is critical. Minda Smiley of Emarketer said, “If people do feel as if content is being suppressed… that’s enough reason for a lot of users to flee”. UCLA professor Ramesh Srinivasan emphasized the fundamental problem of algorithmic opacity, stating, “The problem is we don’t know the rules and we don’t know the data. All we can do is guess what’s going on”.
The Core Issues at Stake
· Algorithmic Transparency: Users and watchdogs have no way to verify if changes in content reach are due to technical bugs, algorithmic tweaks, or deliberate suppression.
· Private Control of Public Discourse: The episode underscores how a handful of private companies and wealthy individuals control major channels of public communication and can reshape them following ownership changes.
· Political Influence on Media: The tight links between TikTok’s new ownership, the Trump administration, and pro-Israel advocacy groups raise valid questions about the potential for engineered consent and the suppression of dissenting political voices.
The controversy surrounding TikTok is more than a story about app glitches. It is a microcosm of contemporary battles over free speech, political power, and media control in the digital age. Whether the current issues are temporary technical failures or the first signs of a deliberate ideological shift under new ownership remains hotly disputed. What is clear is that the outcome will have significant implications for how millions of Americans, especially young people, consume news and engage in political debate.
What is the path forward for users concerned about platform bias? Experts suggest diversifying information sources, supporting independent journalism, and advocating for regulatory frameworks that demand greater transparency from social media algorithms. The coming weeks, as California’s investigation proceeds and TikTok works to stabilize its platform, will be crucial in determining whether user trust can be restored or if a fundamental realignment in the social media landscape is underway.