California Governor Gavin Newsom has launched a formal investigation into whether TikTok is violating state law by censoring content critical of President Donald Trump, following complaints from users and creators that anti-Trump posts are being suppressed on the platform.
Investigation Triggers
The investigation was triggered by reports that TikTok is suppressing videos critical of the Trump administration. Newsom’s office said it has both received complaints and independently confirmed instances where TikTok suppressed Trump-critical content.
One notable example involves the word “Epstein”—Newsom’s office attempted to send a direct message containing the word and received a warning that it violated TikTok’s community guidelines, though the platform typically allows discussion of the late financier.
Content Suppression Complaints
Multiple creators and officials reported that videos criticizing ICE actions and other anti-Trump content received zero views or significantly lower view counts than normal. State Senator Scott Wiener reported that a video about legislation to allow people to sue ICE agents received zero views, contrasting sharply with his typical view counts.
Timing and New Ownership Structure
The investigation comes days after TikTok finalized a deal to avoid a U.S. ban by establishing a new joint venture with majority American control. The TikTok USDS Joint Venture now has ByteDance owning only 19.9 percent, while Oracle, Silver Lake, and Emirati fund MGX each hold 15 percent stakes.
Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, a longtime Trump supporter and donor, now holds significant influence over the app’s U.S. operations through this deal.
TikTok’s Response
Rather than directly addressing censorship allegations, TikTok attributed the content issues to a power outage at a U.S. data center causing a cascading systems failure. The platform reported experiencing bugs, slower loading times, and timed-out uploads as it worked to restore services.
However, some creators observed that the view suppression appeared targeted rather than technical, while others suggested it affected the entire platform.
Legal Review
Newsom’s office is calling on the California Department of Justice to determine whether TikTok’s conduct violates California law. The governor stated on social media that “It’s time to investigate.”