{"id":1462244,"date":"2026-01-27T14:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T11:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1462244"},"modified":"2026-01-27T14:15:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T11:15:00","slug":"so-you-want-to-leave-tiktok","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1462244","title":{"rendered":"So you want to leave TikTok?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wrapper dg-max-width\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<figure class=\"main-img has-figcaption\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"1.5\" data-template=\"Standard Article\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Photo illustration by Cheng Xin\/Getty Images\" class=\"img\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1435287-1.jpg\" width=\"1024\" title=\"1435287-1\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"inner\"><span class=\"credit\">Photo illustration by Cheng <span class=\"nowrap\">Xin\/Getty Images<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"meta\">\n<div class=\"inner\"><time datetime=\"2026-01-27T14:15:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"27 January 2026\"><span class=\"month\">January<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"27\">27,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"titles\">\n<div class=\"tags\">\n<div class=\"sections\"><a class=\"category vertical - life-culture\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\">Life &amp; Culture<\/a><br \/>\n\/<br \/>\n<a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/guide\">Guide<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"standard-tag-container\"><a class=\"standard-category\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\">Life &amp; Culture<\/a> \/<br \/>\n<a class=\"standard-series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/guide\">Guide<\/a><\/div>\n<h1 class=\"title\"><span>So you want to <span class=\"nowrap\">leave TikTok?<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<div class=\"standfirst\">\n<h2>Billie Eilish, Megan Stalter and more are calling out TikTok for censoring content about ICE \u2013 but what is going on with the social media platform, and is it finally time to move on <span class=\"nowrap\">from it?<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-01-27T14:15:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"27 January 2026\"><span class=\"month\">January<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"27\">27,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-01-27T14:15:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"27 January 2026\"><span class=\"month\">January<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"27\">27,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/p>\n<div class=\"providers\">\n<div class=\"contributors\"><span class=\"contributor\" data-contributor-role=\"Text\"><span class=\"contributor-role\">Text<\/span><a class=\"contributor-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/user\/JennyJane\">Jenny Jane<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body-container\">\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>After the murder of intensive care nurse <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c62r4g590wqo\"><span>Alex Pretti<\/span><\/a><span> by ICE in Minneapolis (January 25), comedian and actress <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/60640\/1\/meg-stalter-on-hi-gay-edinburgh-fringe-and-the-hollywood-writer-s-strike\"><span>Megan Stalter<\/span><\/a><span> took to Instagram <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DT8VMoLj3hr\/?hl=en\"><span>to call for the abolition<\/span><\/a><span> of the federal law enforcement agency. \u201cOur government is killing people, and they are lying to us. The God that I worship is extremely angry about what is going on. We can not stop talking about this. We have to abolish ICE.\u201d After posting the video on Instagram, the actress found she <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DT8wHvqEh-k\/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1\"><span>could not upload the same video to TikTok<\/span><\/a><span> or any content about ICE, for that matter. Stalter is not the only celebrity who realised this: streamer and left-wing political commentator <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/65723\/1\/hasan-piker-i-think-the-overton-window-is-shifting-on-palestine-interview\"><span>Hasan Piker<\/span><\/a><span> and musician <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/finneas\"><span>Finneas<\/span><\/a><span> also noticed that their most <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/hasanthehun\/status\/2016000368279478734?s=20\"><span>recent<\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/laurenmahaffy\/status\/2015671779382186200?s=20\"><span>videos<\/span><\/a><span> about ICE were censored on the platform. It was also <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Popstonox\/status\/2015863504805245017?s=20\"><span>reported<\/span><\/a><span> that the Democrats\u2019 TikTok profile was being shadow-banned.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Several TikTok users in the US also noticed that TikTok now censors the word \u2018Epstein\u2019, in relation to human trafficker, child sex offender and rapist Jeffrey Epstein. In a statement released <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/01\/27\/nx-s1-5689104\/tiktok-epstein-direct-messages\"><span>today<\/span><\/a><span>, TikTok denied blocking the word and is investigating why some users are unable to send it in direct messages. Celebrities and activists are encouraging people to delete their TikTok accounts, but what is going on with the video platform, and what is Upscroll, the new social media app they\u2019re joining?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"instagram-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-instagram\" data-script-depends=\"instagram-embeds\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><strong>WHAT\u2019S GOING ON WITH TIKTOK?<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p><span>Last week (January 23), a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2026\/01\/26\/tech\/tiktok-ice-censorship-glitch-cec\"><span>majority-American-owned joint venture<\/span><\/a><span> known as TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC took control of TikTok\u2019s assets in the US. The deal was shepherded by the Trump administration and allows TikTok to continue operating in the US. American tech firm Oracle, led by Trump allies and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69360\/1\/slop-enshittification-2025-internet-implode-shumon-basar-gunseli-yalcinkaya\"><span>anti-Palestine billionaires<\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/theintercept.com\/2025\/12\/21\/tiktok-ellison-oracle-israel-gaza\/\"><span>Larry Ellison and Safra Catz<\/span><\/a><span>, now oversee TikTok\u2019s US user data and the platform\u2019s recommendation algorithm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Last April, Sarah Jeong wrote for The <\/span><em><span>Verge<\/span><\/em><span> that \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/features\/761076\/gaza-images-starvation-tiktok-ban\"><span>Palestine was the problem with TikTok<\/span><\/a><span>,\u201d as young people used the platform to speak out and learn about the genocide in Gaza. Now, Ellison and Catz, who both openly support <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/theintercept.com\/2025\/12\/21\/tiktok-ellison-oracle-israel-gaza\/\"><span>Israel and its military<\/span><\/a><span>, essentially run the social media platform, leading many to believe that commentary around ICE, Palestine, and anti-Trump content is being purposely censored.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>HOW HAS TIKTOK RESPONDED?<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Along with accusations of censorship, users have reported that the video-sharing app has been extremely slow and malfunctioning since the US deal was finalised last week. TikTok\u2019s US owner released a statement on Monday 26, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/usdsjv.tiktok.com\/Technical-issues-impacting-TikTok-US-service\"><span>asserting<\/span><\/a><span> that the app is \u201cexperiencing a major infrastructure issue triggered by a power outage at one of our US data centre partner sites\u201d. They have also said that if users notice that their content has \u201c0 views or likes\u2026 this is a display error caused by a server timeout; your actual data and engagement are safe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>WHAT IS UPSCROLL?<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Even with the release of their statement, the public\u2019s trust in TikTok is waning, leading to what appears to be a mass exodus from the app to the social media platform UpScrolled. Launched by Palestinian, Jordanian and Australian technologist Issam Hijazi last June, UpScrolled resembles Instagram with its chronological feed of images and videos. On its <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/upscrolled.com\/en\/about\/\"><span>website<\/span><\/a><span>, the app is described as \u201ca social media platform designed to empower users worldwide \u2013 a space to freely express thoughts, share moments and content with others.\u201d The app now rivals TikTok, ranking above it at no. 9 on the Apple App Store yesterday (January 28).<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>WHAT OTHER APPS CAN I JOIN THAT AREN\u2019T RUN BY EVIL BILLIONAIRES?<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>It\u2019s important to remain wary of all social media platforms, even those with apparently good intentions. At the end of the day, many of us are addicted to our phones and are being manipulated more than we\u2019d like to admit by what we\u2019re seeing on these platforms. When we realise that a platform has deep systemic problems, the answer is not always to migrate to another app.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69298\/1\/5-social-media-platforms-actually-social-perfectly-imperfect-cosmos\"><span>Hatti Rex<\/span><\/a><span> highlighted in her piece on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69298\/1\/5-social-media-platforms-actually-social-perfectly-imperfect-cosmos\"><span>social media platforms that are actually social<\/span><\/a><span>, there are pockets of community still thriving on the internet that billionaires don\u2019t own, including <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.are.na\/\"><span>Are.na<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69298\/1\/5-social-media-platforms-actually-social-perfectly-imperfect-cosmos\"><span>Cosmos<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/perfectlyimperfect\/?utm_source=ig_embed\"><span>Perfectly Imperfect<\/span><\/a>,<span> and more.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>After the murder of intensive care nurse <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c62r4g590wqo\"><span>Alex Pretti<\/span><\/a><span> by ICE in Minneapolis (January 25), comedian and actress <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/60640\/1\/meg-stalter-on-hi-gay-edinburgh-fringe-and-the-hollywood-writer-s-strike\"><span>Megan Stalter<\/span><\/a><span> took to Instagram <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DT8VMoLj3hr\/?hl=en\"><span>to call for the abolition<\/span><\/a><span> of the federal law enforcement agency. \u201cOur government is killing people, and they are lying to us. The God that I worship is extremely angry about what is going on. We can not stop talking about this. We have to abolish ICE.\u201d After posting the video on Instagram, the actress found she <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DT8wHvqEh-k\/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1\"><span>could not upload the same video to TikTok<\/span><\/a><span> or any content about ICE, for that matter. Stalter is not the only celebrity who realised this: streamer and left-wing political commentator <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/65723\/1\/hasan-piker-i-think-the-overton-window-is-shifting-on-palestine-interview\"><span>Hasan Piker<\/span><\/a><span> and musician <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/finneas\"><span>Finneas<\/span><\/a><span> also noticed that their most <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/hasanthehun\/status\/2016000368279478734?s=20\"><span>recent<\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/laurenmahaffy\/status\/2015671779382186200?s=20\"><span>videos<\/span><\/a><span> about ICE were censored on the platform. It was also <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Popstonox\/status\/2015863504805245017?s=20\"><span>reported<\/span><\/a><span> that the Democrats\u2019 TikTok profile was being shadow-banned.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Several TikTok users in the US also noticed that TikTok now censors the word \u2018Epstein\u2019, in relation to human trafficker, child sex offender and rapist Jeffrey Epstein. In a statement released <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/01\/27\/nx-s1-5689104\/tiktok-epstein-direct-messages\"><span>today<\/span><\/a><span>, TikTok denied blocking the word and is investigating why some users are unable to send it in direct messages. Celebrities and activists are encouraging people to delete their TikTok accounts, but what is going on with the video platform, and what is Upscroll, the new social media app they\u2019re joining?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"instagram-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-instagram\" data-script-depends=\"instagram-embeds\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><strong>WHAT\u2019S GOING ON WITH TIKTOK?<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p><span>Last week (January 23), a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2026\/01\/26\/tech\/tiktok-ice-censorship-glitch-cec\"><span>majority-American-owned joint venture<\/span><\/a><span> known as TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC took control of TikTok\u2019s assets in the US. The deal was shepherded by the Trump administration and allows TikTok to continue operating in the US. American tech firm Oracle, led by Trump allies and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69360\/1\/slop-enshittification-2025-internet-implode-shumon-basar-gunseli-yalcinkaya\"><span>anti-Palestine billionaires<\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/theintercept.com\/2025\/12\/21\/tiktok-ellison-oracle-israel-gaza\/\"><span>Larry Ellison and Safra Catz<\/span><\/a><span>, now oversee TikTok\u2019s US user data and the platform\u2019s recommendation algorithm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Last April, Sarah Jeong wrote for The <\/span><em><span>Verge<\/span><\/em><span> that \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/features\/761076\/gaza-images-starvation-tiktok-ban\"><span>Palestine was the problem with TikTok<\/span><\/a><span>,\u201d as young people used the platform to speak out and learn about the genocide in Gaza. Now, Ellison and Catz, who both openly support <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/theintercept.com\/2025\/12\/21\/tiktok-ellison-oracle-israel-gaza\/\"><span>Israel and its military<\/span><\/a><span>, essentially run the social media platform, leading many to believe that commentary around ICE, Palestine, and anti-Trump content is being purposely censored.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>HOW HAS TIKTOK RESPONDED?<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Along with accusations of censorship, users have reported that the video-sharing app has been extremely slow and malfunctioning since the US deal was finalised last week. TikTok\u2019s US owner released a statement on Monday 26, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/usdsjv.tiktok.com\/Technical-issues-impacting-TikTok-US-service\"><span>asserting<\/span><\/a><span> that the app is \u201cexperiencing a major infrastructure issue triggered by a power outage at one of our US data centre partner sites\u201d. They have also said that if users notice that their content has \u201c0 views or likes\u2026 this is a display error caused by a server timeout; your actual data and engagement are safe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>WHAT IS UPSCROLL?<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Even with the release of their statement, the public\u2019s trust in TikTok is waning, leading to what appears to be a mass exodus from the app to the social media platform UpScrolled. Launched by Palestinian, Jordanian and Australian technologist Issam Hijazi last June, UpScrolled resembles Instagram with its chronological feed of images and videos. On its <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/upscrolled.com\/en\/about\/\"><span>website<\/span><\/a><span>, the app is described as \u201ca social media platform designed to empower users worldwide \u2013 a space to freely express thoughts, share moments and content with others.\u201d The app now rivals TikTok, ranking above it at no. 9 on the Apple App Store yesterday (January 28).<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>WHAT OTHER APPS CAN I JOIN THAT AREN\u2019T RUN BY EVIL BILLIONAIRES?<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>It\u2019s important to remain wary of all social media platforms, even those with apparently good intentions. At the end of the day, many of us are addicted to our phones and are being manipulated more than we\u2019d like to admit by what we\u2019re seeing on these platforms. When we realise that a platform has deep systemic problems, the answer is not always to migrate to another app.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69298\/1\/5-social-media-platforms-actually-social-perfectly-imperfect-cosmos\"><span>Hatti Rex<\/span><\/a><span> highlighted in her piece on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69298\/1\/5-social-media-platforms-actually-social-perfectly-imperfect-cosmos\"><span>social media platforms that are actually social<\/span><\/a><span>, there are pockets of community still thriving on the internet that billionaires don\u2019t own, including <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.are.na\/\"><span>Are.na<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69298\/1\/5-social-media-platforms-actually-social-perfectly-imperfect-cosmos\"><span>Cosmos<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/perfectlyimperfect\/?utm_source=ig_embed\"><span>Perfectly Imperfect<\/span><\/a>,<span> and more.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>After the murder of intensive care nurse <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c62r4g590wqo\"><span>Alex Pretti<\/span><\/a><span> by ICE in Minneapolis (January 25), comedian and actress <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/60640\/1\/meg-stalter-on-hi-gay-edinburgh-fringe-and-the-hollywood-writer-s-strike\"><span>Megan Stalter<\/span><\/a><span> took to Instagram <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DT8VMoLj3hr\/?hl=en\"><span>to call for the abolition<\/span><\/a><span> of the federal law enforcement agency. \u201cOur government is killing people, and they are lying to us. The God that I worship is extremely angry about what is going on. We can not stop talking about this. We have to abolish ICE.\u201d After posting the video on Instagram, the actress found she <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DT8wHvqEh-k\/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1\"><span>could not upload the same video to TikTok<\/span><\/a><span> or any content about ICE, for that matter. Stalter is not the only celebrity who realised this: streamer and left-wing political commentator <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/65723\/1\/hasan-piker-i-think-the-overton-window-is-shifting-on-palestine-interview\"><span>Hasan Piker<\/span><\/a><span> and musician <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/finneas\"><span>Finneas<\/span><\/a><span> also noticed that their most <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/hasanthehun\/status\/2016000368279478734?s=20\"><span>recent<\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/laurenmahaffy\/status\/2015671779382186200?s=20\"><span>videos<\/span><\/a><span> about ICE were censored on the platform. It was also <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Popstonox\/status\/2015863504805245017?s=20\"><span>reported<\/span><\/a><span> that the Democrats\u2019 TikTok profile was being shadow-banned.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Several TikTok users in the US also noticed that TikTok now censors the word \u2018Epstein\u2019, in relation to human trafficker, child sex offender and rapist Jeffrey Epstein. In a statement released <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/01\/27\/nx-s1-5689104\/tiktok-epstein-direct-messages\"><span>today<\/span><\/a><span>, TikTok denied blocking the word and is investigating why some users are unable to send it in direct messages. Celebrities and activists are encouraging people to delete their TikTok accounts, but what is going on with the video platform, and what is Upscroll, the new social media app they\u2019re joining?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"instagram-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-instagram\" data-script-depends=\"instagram-embeds\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><strong>WHAT\u2019S GOING ON WITH TIKTOK?<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p><span>Last week (January 23), a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2026\/01\/26\/tech\/tiktok-ice-censorship-glitch-cec\"><span>majority-American-owned joint venture<\/span><\/a><span> known as TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC took control of TikTok\u2019s assets in the US. The deal was shepherded by the Trump administration and allows TikTok to continue operating in the US. American tech firm Oracle, led by Trump allies and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69360\/1\/slop-enshittification-2025-internet-implode-shumon-basar-gunseli-yalcinkaya\"><span>anti-Palestine billionaires<\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/theintercept.com\/2025\/12\/21\/tiktok-ellison-oracle-israel-gaza\/\"><span>Larry Ellison and Safra Catz<\/span><\/a><span>, now oversee TikTok\u2019s US user data and the platform\u2019s recommendation algorithm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Last April, Sarah Jeong wrote for The <\/span><em><span>Verge<\/span><\/em><span> that \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/features\/761076\/gaza-images-starvation-tiktok-ban\"><span>Palestine was the problem with TikTok<\/span><\/a><span>,\u201d as young people used the platform to speak out and learn about the genocide in Gaza. Now, Ellison and Catz, who both openly support <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/theintercept.com\/2025\/12\/21\/tiktok-ellison-oracle-israel-gaza\/\"><span>Israel and its military<\/span><\/a><span>, essentially run the social media platform, leading many to believe that commentary around ICE, Palestine, and anti-Trump content is being purposely censored.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>HOW HAS TIKTOK RESPONDED?<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Along with accusations of censorship, users have reported that the video-sharing app has been extremely slow and malfunctioning since the US deal was finalised last week. TikTok\u2019s US owner released a statement on Monday 26, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/usdsjv.tiktok.com\/Technical-issues-impacting-TikTok-US-service\"><span>asserting<\/span><\/a><span> that the app is \u201cexperiencing a major infrastructure issue triggered by a power outage at one of our US data centre partner sites\u201d. They have also said that if users notice that their content has \u201c0 views or likes\u2026 this is a display error caused by a server timeout; your actual data and engagement are safe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>WHAT IS UPSCROLL?<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Even with the release of their statement, the public\u2019s trust in TikTok is waning, leading to what appears to be a mass exodus from the app to the social media platform UpScrolled. Launched by Palestinian, Jordanian and Australian technologist Issam Hijazi last June, UpScrolled resembles Instagram with its chronological feed of images and videos. On its <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/upscrolled.com\/en\/about\/\"><span>website<\/span><\/a><span>, the app is described as \u201ca social media platform designed to empower users worldwide \u2013 a space to freely express thoughts, share moments and content with others.\u201d The app now rivals TikTok, ranking above it at no. 9 on the Apple App Store yesterday (January 28).<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>WHAT OTHER APPS CAN I JOIN THAT AREN\u2019T RUN BY EVIL BILLIONAIRES?<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>It\u2019s important to remain wary of all social media platforms, even those with apparently good intentions. At the end of the day, many of us are addicted to our phones and are being manipulated more than we\u2019d like to admit by what we\u2019re seeing on these platforms. When we realise that a platform has deep systemic problems, the answer is not always to migrate to another app.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69298\/1\/5-social-media-platforms-actually-social-perfectly-imperfect-cosmos\"><span>Hatti Rex<\/span><\/a><span> highlighted in her piece on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69298\/1\/5-social-media-platforms-actually-social-perfectly-imperfect-cosmos\"><span>social media platforms that are actually social<\/span><\/a><span>, there are pockets of community still thriving on the internet that billionaires don\u2019t own, including <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.are.na\/\"><span>Are.na<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69298\/1\/5-social-media-platforms-actually-social-perfectly-imperfect-cosmos\"><span>Cosmos<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/perfectlyimperfect\/?utm_source=ig_embed\"><span>Perfectly Imperfect<\/span><\/a>,<span> and more.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>After the murder of intensive care nurse <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c62r4g590wqo\"><span>Alex Pretti<\/span><\/a><span> by ICE in Minneapolis (January 25), comedian and actress <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/60640\/1\/meg-stalter-on-hi-gay-edinburgh-fringe-and-the-hollywood-writer-s-strike\"><span>Megan Stalter<\/span><\/a><span> took to Instagram <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DT8VMoLj3hr\/?hl=en\"><span>to call for the abolition<\/span><\/a><span> of the federal law enforcement agency. \u201cOur government is killing people, and they are lying to us. The God that I worship is extremely angry about what is going on. We can not stop talking about this. We have to abolish ICE.\u201d After posting the video on Instagram, the actress found she <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DT8wHvqEh-k\/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1\"><span>could not upload the same video to TikTok<\/span><\/a><span> or any content about ICE, for that matter. Stalter is not the only celebrity who realised this: streamer and left-wing political commentator <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/65723\/1\/hasan-piker-i-think-the-overton-window-is-shifting-on-palestine-interview\"><span>Hasan Piker<\/span><\/a><span> and musician <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/finneas\"><span>Finneas<\/span><\/a><span> also noticed that their most <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/hasanthehun\/status\/2016000368279478734?s=20\"><span>recent<\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/laurenmahaffy\/status\/2015671779382186200?s=20\"><span>videos<\/span><\/a><span> about ICE were censored on the platform. It was also <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Popstonox\/status\/2015863504805245017?s=20\"><span>reported<\/span><\/a><span> that the Democrats\u2019 TikTok profile was being shadow-banned.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Several TikTok users in the US also noticed that TikTok now censors the word \u2018Epstein\u2019, in relation to human trafficker, child sex offender and rapist Jeffrey Epstein. In a statement released <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/01\/27\/nx-s1-5689104\/tiktok-epstein-direct-messages\"><span>today<\/span><\/a><span>, TikTok denied blocking the word and is investigating why some users are unable to send it in direct messages. Celebrities and activists are encouraging people to delete their TikTok accounts, but what is going on with the video platform, and what is Upscroll, the new social media app they\u2019re joining?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"instagram-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-instagram\" data-script-depends=\"instagram-embeds\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<h1><strong>WHAT\u2019S GOING ON WITH TIKTOK?<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p><span>Last week (January 23), a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2026\/01\/26\/tech\/tiktok-ice-censorship-glitch-cec\"><span>majority-American-owned joint venture<\/span><\/a><span> known as TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC took control of TikTok\u2019s assets in the US. The deal was shepherded by the Trump administration and allows TikTok to continue operating in the US. American tech firm Oracle, led by Trump allies and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69360\/1\/slop-enshittification-2025-internet-implode-shumon-basar-gunseli-yalcinkaya\"><span>anti-Palestine billionaires<\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/theintercept.com\/2025\/12\/21\/tiktok-ellison-oracle-israel-gaza\/\"><span>Larry Ellison and Safra Catz<\/span><\/a><span>, now oversee TikTok\u2019s US user data and the platform\u2019s recommendation algorithm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Last April, Sarah Jeong wrote for The <\/span><em><span>Verge<\/span><\/em><span> that \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/features\/761076\/gaza-images-starvation-tiktok-ban\"><span>Palestine was the problem with TikTok<\/span><\/a><span>,\u201d as young people used the platform to speak out and learn about the genocide in Gaza. Now, Ellison and Catz, who both openly support <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/theintercept.com\/2025\/12\/21\/tiktok-ellison-oracle-israel-gaza\/\"><span>Israel and its military<\/span><\/a><span>, essentially run the social media platform, leading many to believe that commentary around ICE, Palestine, and anti-Trump content is being purposely censored.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>HOW HAS TIKTOK RESPONDED?<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Along with accusations of censorship, users have reported that the video-sharing app has been extremely slow and malfunctioning since the US deal was finalised last week. TikTok\u2019s US owner released a statement on Monday 26, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/usdsjv.tiktok.com\/Technical-issues-impacting-TikTok-US-service\"><span>asserting<\/span><\/a><span> that the app is \u201cexperiencing a major infrastructure issue triggered by a power outage at one of our US data centre partner sites\u201d. They have also said that if users notice that their content has \u201c0 views or likes\u2026 this is a display error caused by a server timeout; your actual data and engagement are safe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>WHAT IS UPSCROLL?<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Even with the release of their statement, the public\u2019s trust in TikTok is waning, leading to what appears to be a mass exodus from the app to the social media platform UpScrolled. Launched by Palestinian, Jordanian and Australian technologist Issam Hijazi last June, UpScrolled resembles Instagram with its chronological feed of images and videos. On its <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/upscrolled.com\/en\/about\/\"><span>website<\/span><\/a><span>, the app is described as \u201ca social media platform designed to empower users worldwide \u2013 a space to freely express thoughts, share moments and content with others.\u201d The app now rivals TikTok, ranking above it at no. 9 on the Apple App Store yesterday (January 28).<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>WHAT OTHER APPS CAN I JOIN THAT AREN\u2019T RUN BY EVIL BILLIONAIRES?<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>It\u2019s important to remain wary of all social media platforms, even those with apparently good intentions. At the end of the day, many of us are addicted to our phones and are being manipulated more than we\u2019d like to admit by what we\u2019re seeing on these platforms. When we realise that a platform has deep systemic problems, the answer is not always to migrate to another app.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69298\/1\/5-social-media-platforms-actually-social-perfectly-imperfect-cosmos\"><span>Hatti Rex<\/span><\/a><span> highlighted in her piece on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69298\/1\/5-social-media-platforms-actually-social-perfectly-imperfect-cosmos\"><span>social media platforms that are actually social<\/span><\/a><span>, there are pockets of community still thriving on the internet that billionaires don\u2019t own, including <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.are.na\/\"><span>Are.na<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69298\/1\/5-social-media-platforms-actually-social-perfectly-imperfect-cosmos\"><span>Cosmos<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/perfectlyimperfect\/?utm_source=ig_embed\"><span>Perfectly Imperfect<\/span><\/a>,<span> and more.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wrapper\">\n<div class=\"article-series\">\n<h4 class=\"heading\">More on these topics<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-series\"><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\">Life &amp; Culture<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/guide\">Guide<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/donald-trump\">Donald Trump<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/justice\">Justice<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/police-brutality\">police brutality<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/palestine\">Palestine<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/billie-eilish\">Billie Eilish<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/finneas\">Finneas<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> Source URL: https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69490\/1\/tiktok-ice-censorship-trump-oracle-larry-ellison-upscroll-app<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Photo illustration by Cheng Xin\/Getty Images January\u00a0 27,\u00a0 2026 Life &amp; Culture \/ Guide Life &amp; Culture \/ Guide So you want to leave TikTok? Billie Eilish, Megan Stalter and more are calling out TikTok for censoring content about ICE \u2013 but what is going on with the social media platform, and is it finally [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1462245,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[76],"class_list":["post-1462244","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","tag-dazeddigital-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1462244","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1462244"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1462244\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1462245"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1462244"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1462244"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1462244"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}