By Michael PoppaDukes Serrano
TikTok’s algorithm is changing, and so is who controls what you see.
Something’s off with your TikTok feed. You’ve noticed it. Creators have noticed it. And if you’ve been paying attention, you already know why.
The app provided a platform to activists, organizers, and everyday people. It allowed them to speak truth to power. It is now under new management. And that management has a very different idea about what you should, and shouldn’t, be seeing.
Let’s break down what’s really happening.
The Deal That Changed Everything
In early 2025, TikTok finalized a joint venture agreement that fundamentally shifted who controls the platform in the United States. The new power players? Oracle (led by billionaire Larry Ellison), Silver Lake, and MGX, a UAE-backed investment fund.
Oracle’s Larry Ellison — a key power player behind the new U.S. TikTok structure.
MGX — the UAE-backed fund tied to the new ownership shift and its priorities.
Silver Lake — the heavyweight private equity partner in the takeover consortium.
This wasn’t just a business deal. This was a complete handover of U.S. user data and, here’s the big one, the algorithm itself.
That’s right. These new investors are now “retraining, testing, and updating” the system that decides what goes viral and what gets buried. They’re not just hosting the data. They’re rebuilding the machine that shapes what 170 million Americans see every single day.
Think about that for a second.
Real voices from real communities deserve to be heard, not silenced.
What Censorship Actually Looks Like
Here’s where it gets real.
Since the ownership transfer, users and creators have reported a dramatic shift in what content gets pushed. They have also noted changes in what gets suppressed. We’re not talking about copyright strikes or community guideline violations. We’re talking about political speech.
Content about Israel and Palestine? Shadowbanned. Videos documenting ICE raids and immigration enforcement? Mysteriously low views. Posts criticizing U.S. foreign policy or highlighting state violence? Suddenly invisible.
And this isn’t abstract. It’s showing up in very specific, very public cases:
- Bisan Owda, a Palestinian journalist with 1.4 million followers, reported being banned. This occurred shortly after the takeover by the Oracle/UAE-backed consortium (per Common Dreams, Jan 2026 and Al Jazeera, Jan 2026).
- Comedian Megan Stalter deleted her account. She described systematic failures when trying to upload content critical of ICE. These included posts about the shooting of Alex Pretti. CNN reported this in Jan 2026 and Business Insider echoed it in Jan 2026. (Her move basically screamed: “If I can’t post this here, why am I here?”)
- Dylan Page (aka “News Daddy”), is one of TikTok’s most prominent independent news creators. He said he saw a massive drop in engagement. His earnings fell substantially, enough that he temporarily stepped away from the app (reported by Digiday, Jan 2026 and International Business Times, Jan 2026). This happened right as the Oracle/UAE consortium took the reins. It signaled a vibe shift. There was less messy, community-driven reporting and more sanitized, corporate-friendly content.
Creators who built massive followings by speaking on these issues are now seeing their reach tank overnight. Their videos aren’t always being removed, they’re just not being shown to anyone. That’s the insidious part. You don’t get a notification. You don’t get an explanation. Your content just… disappears into the void.
(“I went from 500K views per video to barely 10K,” one activist creator told us. “Nothing changed except who owns this app.”)
The Technical “Glitches” That Aren’t Glitches
TikTok and its new operators have blamed recent issues on “technical glitches” and even a “data center outage”. And sure, platforms break sometimes. But the timing is doing a lot of talking.
Creators tried uploading content about ICE violence. It repeatedly failed. TikTok explained this issue by leaning on infrastructure problems (per CNN, Jan 2026). High-visibility Palestine coverage got restricted or disappeared. Users were told it was moderation mistakes or routine enforcement (per Al Jazeera, Jan 2026).
And then there’s the Alex Pretti shooting coverage.
Creators trying to report on the federal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minnesota faced a major issue. They said their posts hit a straight-up “zero view” wall. It was as if the platform didn’t just downrank it. It basically froze it. TikTok blamed a power outage at an Oracle data center. However, the timing coincided with a major moment of federal accountability. You saw calls for investigations from governors like Gavin Newsom. The same came from Phil Murphy (see NBC Los Angeles, Jan 2026 and JURIST, Jan 2026).
Here’s the part that’s hard to ignore: those “oops” moments keep landing on the same topics.
The platform has experienced:
- Slower load times and timed-out requests
- Creators seeing 0 views and likes on new videos
- Old or irrelevant posts showing up instead of fresh content
- Earnings and analytics temporarily disappearing
But here’s what they’re not telling you: global analytics no longer impact the U.S. algorithm.
That means engagement from users outside the United States doesn’t count toward how your content gets recommended domestically. For creators who built international audiences speaking on human rights issues? That’s a death sentence for their reach.
And when TikTok says “it’s just a glitch,” it’s worth asking: a glitch for who?
The reality sitting behind the excuses is the new ownership itself. This includes ties to pro-Israel donor Larry Ellison (via Oracle). It also involves UAE state-backed funds (via MGX). That context changes how we should read every “technical issue.”
The algorithm decides who gets heard, and who gets silenced.
Follow the Money, Follow the Silence
Let’s connect some dots.
Larry Ellison, Oracle’s co-founder and executive chairman, is one of the wealthiest people on the planet. He is also a high-profile pro-Israel donor. MGX, the UAE-backed fund now partially controlling TikTok, is tied to UAE state money.
People often raise an eyebrow when TikTok waves off suppression complaints with “technical glitch” or “data center outage.” They aren’t being paranoid. They’re responding to the reality that the platform’s U.S. power structure now has political and state-finance ties that don’t exactly scream “let dissent thrive.”
These are the people now deciding what American users see on their feeds.
Is it any surprise that content critical of Israel’s actions in Palestine or ICE violence is suddenly harder to find?
What This Means for Activists and Organizers
For years, TikTok was the great equalizer. A kid in the Bronx with a phone camera could reach more people than a cable news network. Organizers used the platform to mobilize protests, document injustice, and build movements in real-time.
That power threatened a lot of people. And now those people are in control.
If you’re an activist, an organizer, or just someone who cares about speaking truth? You need to understand that the rules have changed. The platform that amplified your voice is now actively working to quiet it.
When enforcement actions go viral, some would rather you not see them at all.
What Can We Do About It?
First, diversify your platforms. Don’t put all your eggs in one algorithmic basket. Build audiences on Substack, YouTube, and other platforms where you have more control over your reach.
Second, document everything. Screenshot your analytics. Save your content. When your reach drops, you want receipts.
Third, keep talking about it. The more we expose these patterns, the harder it is for them to pretend it’s just “technical issues.”
And finally? Support independent media. Podcasts, newsletters, and community-driven platforms aren’t subject to the same algorithmic manipulation. They’re where real conversations can still happen.
That’s exactly why we do what we do at The OG Social Network Podcast. We’re not beholden to any algorithm or investor group. We’re here to amplify the voices that matter, the trailblazers, the activists, the entrepreneurs fighting for equity and justice.
The Bottom Line
TikTok’s ownership transfer to Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX isn’t just a corporate restructuring. It’s a fundamental shift in who controls one of the most powerful information platforms in America.
The evidence of censorship is mounting. Content about Palestine, ICE enforcement, and other politically sensitive topics is being systematically suppressed.
And people are responding in real time.
We’re seeing a mass migration to “UpScrolled”. This is a direct clap-back to shadowbanning and content suppression tied to Palestine coverage. It is also related to videos about ICE violence (see Al Jazeera, Jan 2026 and Rest of World, Jan 2026). Folks don’t want spin. They want their content to land.
So yeah — TikTok can call it a “glitch.” Bisan Owda gets banned after a takeover. Megan Stalter can’t upload anti-ICE posts and leaves the platform. It starts looking less like random chaos. It appears more like a system doing exactly what it was rebuilt to do.
Your feed is being curated, not by an algorithm optimizing for engagement, but by one optimizing for control.
Takeaway: If your message matters, build like it’s going to get throttled. Diversify and document. Don’t be afraid to move your community where your voice can breathe.
Stay informed. Stay vocal. And don’t let them silence you.
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Sources
- Al Jazeera: What’s UpScrolled, the app gaining popularity after TikTok’s US takeover (Jan 2026)
- CNN: TikTok users say they can’t upload anti-ICE videos. The company blames tech issues (Jan 2026)
- Common Dreams: Award-Winning Palestinian Journalist Banned From TikTok After Takeover (Jan 2026)
- Rest of World: Meet UpScrolled, the anti-censorship TikTok alternative (Jan 2026)
- Business Insider: TikTok probably wasn’t censoring ICE posts. It’s easy to understand why people think it was. (Jan 2026)
About the Author
Michael PoppaDukes Serrano is the Executive Producer and Host of The OG Social Network Podcast. The podcast covers the intersection of cannabis, culture, politics, and community in New York. PoppaDukes has deep roots in advocacy. He is committed to amplifying marginalized voices in the industry. PoppaDukes brings the street cred and real talk that the community conversation needs. Follow the podcast for unfiltered conversations with the trailblazers, entrepreneurs, politicians, and activists shaping the future.