第二波“TikTok难民”来了

Core Viewpoint - The recent restructuring of TikTok's U.S. operations has led to significant user backlash, with accusations of censorship and content suppression emerging shortly after the transition to a new ownership structure [1][4][5]. Group 1: User Reactions and Censorship Claims - Users have reported that posts containing certain keywords are unable to be published on TikTok, leading to the trending hashtag TikTokCensorship on social media platforms [3]. - Prominent figures, including singer Billie Eilish, have expressed concerns that TikTok is "silencing our voices," highlighting a perceived decline in engagement for critical content [3]. - California Governor Gavin Newsom announced an investigation into TikTok following numerous user complaints about potential censorship related to political content [3]. Group 2: Ownership Structure and Data Management - TikTok has been split into two entities: one for the U.S. market and another for the rest of the world, with a new joint venture, TikTok USDS Joint Venture, established to manage U.S. operations [4][5]. - The new ownership structure includes significant stakes from American companies such as Oracle, Silver Lake, and the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, collectively holding approximately 80.1% of the new entity, while ByteDance retains a minority stake of 19.9% [4][5]. - All U.S. user data will be migrated to Oracle's cloud servers, with local oversight of content moderation and algorithm management [5]. Group 3: Historical Context and Political Implications - TikTok has faced scrutiny in the U.S. since 2020, being labeled a national security threat due to concerns over data privacy and potential influence from the Chinese government [6][7]. - Despite efforts like "Project Texas," which aimed to localize data and increase transparency, legislative pressure led to the requirement for a complete divestment from ByteDance [7]. - The new ownership's ties to political figures, particularly those aligned with former President Trump, raise concerns about potential biases in content moderation and algorithmic decisions, reminiscent of controversies surrounding other social media platforms [8].