![As TikTok’s U.S. operations edge toward a more government-backed ownership structure, TikTok user and junior Edward Truong worries that increased oversight could violate First Amendment rights and lead to content censorship.“It kind of demonstrates how the [government] is trying to hide something,” Truong said.](https://portolapilot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/IMG_8808-1200x900.jpeg)
ByteDance finalized the transfer of its U.S. TikTok operations to a newly formed joint venture, with government-backed investment firms now holding an 80% ownership stake, as of Jan. 22.
Following a mandatory terms-of-service update, content addressing controversial political topics has seen reduced engagement compared to before the acquisition, according to PBS. Additionally, Wired reported that the new terms of service introduce an “AI Interaction Tracker,” which records and monitors user interactions with the app’s AI features, as well as an updated privacy policy that uses GPS to track users’ exact location data. Although the app’s collection of location data aims to improve advertisement targeting and local features for users, the government’s involvement in the recent acquisition raises significant concerns about tracking and data disclosure, according to junior Edward Truong.
Truong said the government’s ability to target specific demographics is threatening. “It might not happen in Irvine necessarily, but when you think about people who live near AI plants or people who live in discrimination, they can target those people.”
Users have also reported a significant decrease in engagement for posts condemning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to the Los Angeles Times. While the exact cause remains unclear, many have speculated that the decline may be linked to government censorship, according to sophomore Amanda Berrios.
“If I search up ‘ICE recent cases’ on my search bar and scroll a few videos, I don’t get anything on my For You Page [regarding the topic],” Berrios said. “Whereas if I search up ‘cats’ and watch a single video from there, then go into my For You Page, I see a bunch of cat videos.”
However, this change in TikTok’s For You Page recommendations does not appear to affect all users, as those who do not typically engage with political content reported no noticeable difference in their TikTok feed, according to TikTok user and Spanish teacher Otto Lopez.
“So I’m in teacher TikTok, Spanish TikTok and Disney TikTok,” Lopez said. “I love watching the Disney influencers go up to the parks and they talk about new drops they have at Disney merchandise. I have not noticed a difference in my TikTok [feed]. I noticed that there is a little more buying things on the TikTok Shop, but that’s the only thing I’ve noticed.”
While TikTok has attributed the reduced engagement to a data center power outage, Gov. Newsom claimed that an independent review found evidence of government censorship and announced an investigation on Jan. 27, according to the BBC.
