At a Glance
- Governor Newsom announced a review of TikTok after users claimed their Trump-critical posts were suppressed.
- The company blamed a power outage that temporarily halted content publishing.
- California law AB 587 requires large platforms to disclose moderation practices.
- Why it matters: The probe could set a precedent for state oversight of social media moderation.
Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Jan 27, 2026 that California will investigate whether TikTok violated state law after users reported that videos about federal agents’ shootings received no views. The investigation follows a technical outage that the company said disrupted post publishing. While TikTok maintains it is not censoring content, the governor cites state law requiring transparency in moderation.
Background
- TikTok’s U.S. business was sold to a group of American investors, including Oracle headed by Larry Ellison, a Trump ally.
- The sale came after the platform faced scrutiny over data privacy and political content.
- TikTok is headquartered in Culver City, California.
Power Outage and Suppression Claims
During the weekend, TikTok users claimed that their posts about the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti-both killed by federal agents in Minneapolis-received zero views. The users suspected the platform was suppressing videos critical of the Trump administration.
TikTok responded on X with the following statement:
> “We’ve been working to restore our services following a power outage,” TikTok said. “We are sorry for this disruption and hope to resolve it soon.”
The company said the outage was stabilized by Monday afternoon. However, a user’s X post-shared by Governor Newsom-showed that when she typed “Epstein,” the message failed to post and was flagged as possibly violating TikTok’s Community Guidelines. NBC Los Angeles was not able to independently verify the authenticity of the X post.
Governor Newsom’s Investigation
On X, Newsom wrote:
> “It’s time to investigate. I am launching a review into whether TikTok is violating state law by censoring Trump-critical content.”
He did not specify which law the company may have violated, but California’s AB 587-signed into law in 2022-requires large social media companies to be transparent about how they moderate or censor content.
Privacy Policy Concerns
Some TikTok users began deleting the app after the platform updated its privacy policy. The revised agreement allows TikTok to collect more detailed information, including:
- Precise location data
- Expanded interaction with AI tools
- Broader use of personal data across advertising partners
Sean SVV, a tech consumer advocate, said:
> “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.”
NBC News legal analyst Angela Cenedella added:
> “It appears they 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.”
TikTok’s Response and Verification
TikTok’s X post indicated the outage had been resolved, but the company did not comment on the specific content suppression claims. NBC Los Angeles reached out to TikTok for clarification but received no response.
Timeline of Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Jan 27, 2026 | Governor Newsom announces review of TikTok on X |
| Weekend 2026 | TikTok users report zero views for Trump-critical videos |
| Monday 2026 | TikTok posts statement about power outage; outage reportedly stabilized by afternoon |
| 2022 | California passes AB 587 requiring transparency from large social media platforms |
Key Takeaways
- The investigation centers on whether TikTok suppressed Trump-critical content during a technical outage.
- California’s AB 587 provides the legal framework for the probe, demanding disclosure of moderation practices.
- Users’ concerns about privacy policy changes add another layer of scrutiny to the platform’s operations.
- The outcome of the review could influence how other states regulate social media moderation.
