Following an executive order from President Donald Trump, U.S. TikTok users are reportedly seeing signs of increased censorship on the app, once seen as a free-speech haven.
After going offline for a brief period due to new laws aimed at addressing national security concerns, TikTok has resumed its operations.
But users have noticed fewer livestreams, higher rates of content being flagged or removed, and more frequent warnings about misinformation, reports Reuters.
The app, owned by China’s ByteDance, was forced to be sold to a U.S. buyer under new laws passed during the Biden administration.
Following the platform’s revival, some users claim TikTok is moderating content more strictly, including the removal of comments or posts with phrases like “Free Palestine,” Reuters adds.
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Others say satirical videos, such as one poking fun at Elon Musk, have been flagged as misinformation, limiting their reach.
The changes in the platform’s behavior have raised concerns, with users speculating that these actions might reflect a shift in TikTok’s policies.
TikTok, however, maintained that no significant changes have occurred to its algorithms and assured users that the current instability is temporary as they work to restore normal operations, Reuters writes.
Despite this, the growing sense of censorship has sparked a debate about the fine line between content moderation and free speech on social media platforms.
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