By Lynn Berry
Contributors: Chloe Webster
On Jan. 19, the United States implemented a nationwide ban on TikTok, stating that there were national security concerns over potential data access by the Chinese government. TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, was mandated to hand over their operations to a U.S. company by a specific date. ByteDance refused, which led to the app’s suspension.
TikTok is currently back, but it is no longer available for download on the App Store & Play Store and many are reporting that international videos and news content are no longer surfacing on their feeds as frequently as before. This has led to speculation that TikTok is censoring their platform.
(Photo by: Lynn Berry)
Has TikTok Actually Changed?
Previously, TikTok’s For You Page (FYP) was about bringing a multitude of different content types, ranging from creators around the world and would highlight trending news stories and international videos. After the application’s ban, many users are claiming that the algorithm has become more restricted.
According to a 2025 Reuters report, “users say they are seeing fewer live streams, and some activity is being removed or flagged at higher rates for violating community guidelines.” This has sparked a concern that TikTok may be filtering certain content that it doesn’t want others to see.
Concerns
Malie Sawyer, a freshman biology major at WPU voiced her own opinion on the ban and censorship, “I think it would have been a good thing, a chance to finally get people off their phones and present to the world.”
If TikTok is actually limiting access to certain types of content, this raises important questions about censorship and free expression on the popular platform. Some users appreciate the reduced political and news-related videos. Others say that this could lead to a narrower range of viewpoints.
Additionally, some users are claiming that the engagement metrics on news-related content and political content have dropped. Fewer likes and shares have been reported compared to entertainment videos. TikTok could be deprioritizing this content altogether, rather than completely removing it.
What Happens Next?
TikTok has not yet commented on the concerns of the users yet. However, there have been ongoing discussions about digital censorship and transparency. Whether this is temporary or long-term still remains up in arms.
For now, if users are looking to find political POVs and news, they may need to seek out other media platforms in the meantime rather than expecting it to appear on their feeds.