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California’s Newsom accuses TikTok of suppressing Trump criticism

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California Governor Gavin Newsom has accused TikTok of suppressing content critical of President Donald Trump, launching a review to determine whether the platform’s moderation practices violate California law. Newsom’s office said it had received and independently confirmed reports that posts criticizing Trump were being limited following recent structural changes at TikTok.

The allegations emerged shortly after TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, finalized a deal to create a majority U.S.-owned joint venture designed to secure American user data and avoid a nationwide ban. The arrangement, which was praised by Trump, places U.S. and global investors in control of more than 80% of the venture, with ByteDance retaining a minority stake.

TikTok rejected the accusations, saying the issues stemmed from a technical failure caused by a data center power outage that led to broader system disruptions. The company said the outage resulted in bugs, slower performance and delayed posting for some users, and denied any intentional suppression of political content.

The dispute adds to long-standing political tensions surrounding TikTok in the United States, where the app has faced years of scrutiny over national security, data privacy and influence concerns. Newsom, a Democrat, and Trump, a Republican, have frequently clashed, underscoring the political sensitivity of the platform’s role in public discourse.

US Lawmakers Seek Congressional Scrutiny of TikTok Joint Venture Deal

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U.S. lawmakers said a proposed joint venture by TikTok and its Chinese parent ByteDance to avoid a nationwide ban requires close congressional scrutiny, citing unresolved national security concerns. The deal would create a majority American-owned entity to operate TikTok in the United States, with U.S. and global investors holding 80.1% and ByteDance retaining 19.9%.

Republican Representative Jack Moolenaar, chair of the House select committee on China, said lawmakers must examine whether China could still influence TikTok’s algorithm or access U.S. user data. Democratic Senator Ed Markey also criticised the lack of transparency, saying Congress has a duty to investigate whether the arrangement truly protects national security while keeping the app online.

TikTok said the new entity would safeguard U.S. data, apps and algorithms through enhanced cybersecurity and privacy measures, but disclosed few details. The White House and TikTok declined immediate comment. The agreement marks a key moment after years of political and legal battles over TikTok’s operations in the United States.

Poland urges Brussels to probe TikTok over AI-generated content

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Poland has asked the European Commission to investigate TikTok after the platform hosted artificial intelligence–generated content calling for Poland to leave the European Union, which authorities said was almost certainly Russian disinformation.

Polish officials said a TikTok profile featuring videos of young women dressed in Polish national colours and promoting an exit from the EU had gained traction in recent weeks before disappearing from the platform. Warsaw argues the content posed risks to public order, information security and democratic processes both in Poland and across the EU.

In a letter to the Commission, Deputy Digitalization Minister Dariusz Standerski said the use of synthetic audiovisual material and the way it was distributed suggested TikTok was failing to meet its obligations as a “Very Large Online Platform” under EU law. A Polish government spokesperson said the videos contained Russian linguistic patterns, pointing to a coordinated disinformation effort.

TikTok said it has been in contact with Polish authorities and removed content where it violated platform rules. A Commission spokesperson confirmed receipt of Poland’s request, noting that under the Digital Services Act (DSA), very large platforms must assess and mitigate risks linked to their services, including those arising from AI-generated content. The Commission added that it had already sought information from TikTok and other platforms in March 2024 on how they address AI-related risks.

EU governments have stepped up scrutiny of social media platforms amid concerns over foreign interference in elections and domestic politics. Last year, the Commission opened formal proceedings against TikTok, which is owned by ByteDance, over its handling of election-related risks, including during Romania’s 2024 presidential vote.

Poland is now urging Brussels to open new proceedings under the DSA, which requires major platforms such as TikTok, Meta’s Facebook and X to remove harmful content. Breaches can result in fines of up to 6% of a company’s global annual turnover.