Newsom Orders TikTok Investigation Amid Censorship Claims

Governor Gavin Newsom announced Monday that California will investigate whether TikTok violated state law by suppressing content deemed critical of the Trump administration. The move comes after numerous TikTok users reported their videos concerning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and references to the “Epstein” case received zero views, sparking accusations of political censorship.

Newsom shared a post from a user on X (formerly Twitter) demonstrating that typing “Epstein” resulted in a message indicating the term violated TikTok’s Community Guidelines. While TikTok attributed the issue to a recent power outage, skepticism remains.

It’s time to investigate.
I am launching a review into whether TikTok is violating state law by censoring Trump-critical content. https://t.co/AZ2mWW68xa

— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) January 27, 2026

“It’s time to investigate,” Newsom stated on X. “I am launching a review into whether TikTok is violating state law by censoring Trump-critical content.”

TikTok’s Content Moderation and California’s AB 587

The investigation will focus on whether TikTok is complying with California Assembly Bill (AB) 587, signed into law in 2022. This legislation mandates greater transparency from large social media companies regarding their content moderation policies and practices. Specifically, AB 587 requires platforms to publicly disclose the criteria used to remove or suppress content, as well as provide users with clear explanations for any moderation actions taken against their posts.

TikTok maintains it is not censoring content, attributing the reported issues to a temporary technical outage. “We’ve been working to restore our services following a power outage,” the company stated on X. “We are sorry for this disruption and hope to resolve it soon.” However, the timing of these reports coincides with a period of heightened scrutiny surrounding TikTok’s ownership and data privacy practices.

Recent changes to TikTok’s U.S. business structure, involving a sale to a group of American investors including Oracle, headed by Larry Ellison, a prominent Trump ally, have further fueled concerns about potential political influence. This sale has not quelled anxieties about the platform’s ties to China and the potential for data access by the Chinese government. What to know about the deal to keep TikTok in U.S.

Beyond political censorship, user concerns extend to TikTok’s updated privacy policy. Some users are deleting the app in protest, citing the expanded collection of personal data, including precise location information and increased interaction with AI tools. Tech consumer advocate Sean SVV expressed particular concern for immigrant communities, highlighting the potential for misuse of collected data. “They absolutely are valid to be concerned about, like what type of data they’re collecting, how they can use it, and which business partners they can share it with,” he said.

However, NBC News legal analyst Angela Cenedella suggests some of the alarm may be overstated. She notes that the data collection practices outlined in the updated policy are likely already in place and may be necessary for the platform’s algorithm to function effectively. “It appears there are collecting things like immigration status and racial and ethnic status,” she said. “They have likely always been doing this. This disclosure is something required to even have their algorithm.”

The debate over TikTok’s content moderation and data privacy practices underscores the broader challenges of regulating social media platforms in the digital age. How can governments balance the need to protect free speech and user privacy with the imperative to prevent the spread of misinformation and ensure fair competition?

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The situation also raises questions about the role of algorithms in shaping public discourse. To what extent are social media algorithms amplifying certain viewpoints while suppressing others, and what safeguards are needed to ensure algorithmic transparency and accountability?

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Frequently Asked Questions About TikTok and Censorship