TikTok is facing accusations of suppressing content about federal immigration enforcement and a fatal shooting in Minneapolis, just days after the platform completed its transfer to majority American ownership. Users claim their videos about the January 24 killing of Alex Pretti received unusually low views or were marked "ineligible for recommendation" by the platform's algorithm. Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse and U.S. citizen, was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents during an immigration
COMMENT: On January 22, 2026, TikTok handed American control to a consortium of Larry Ellison's Oracle and an Abu Dhabi state fund called MGX. Ellison has given $26 million to Israel's military since 2014. MGX is chaired by the UAE's national security adviser, a country that criminalizes dissent, tortures prisoners, and surveils residents. The White House called it a national security win. For others it's a consolidation of power designed to silence. The First Amendment and Section 230 now shield these new gatekeepers from accountability.
Egyptian authorities are widening their morality crackdown to TikTok and other short video platforms, using vague charges of indecency and violating family values to detain comedians, belly dancers and youth creators. The arrests of high visibility figures like Mohamed Abdelaty show how digital platforms have become a new front line for tightening control over artistic and everyday expression in Egypt.
The Albanian government’s decision to ban TikTok for a year has led to public outrage and protests. Officials cite youth protection, while critics argue it’s a move to control information ahead of elections.
