tech
January 30, 2026
What the US TikTok takeover is already revealing about new forms of censorship
It’s not what we can or cannot say that matters – rather, it’s whether what we say can get any visibility at all under the US-specific algorithm
TL;DR
- TikTok's operations in the US have shifted to a joint venture, with the Chinese parent company ByteDance holding a minority stake.
- This change aims to comply with US legislation but raises fears of political interference and suppression of critical voices by US-aligned entities.
- US TikTok users have reported suspicious malfunctions, such as delays in reviewing controversial videos and low view metrics for new content.
- California's governor has called for a review of the TikTok algorithm to ensure compliance with state law.
- Critics point to the links between some investors and Donald Trump, suggesting potential bias in the algorithm's control.
- The new algorithm will be retrained on US data, potentially reinforcing conservative views and isolating US debates from global discussions.
- The article argues that algorithmic control over content visibility constitutes a new, insidious form of censorship in the digital era.
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