TikTokers report mass comment censorship. What is happening?

Shedrach Kongvong 2025-02-03

TikTok users have reported mass censorship of comments on posts by the app since its restoration after the short ban.

The affected users have been reporting such censorships on their replies since 2 February, with censored comments ranging from simple statements like “I hope he does that” to harsher comments like “nah they just think you’re a silly goose.”

Because of the wide range of affected comments, it is unclear how TokTok decides which comment violates its community guidelines and which one doesn’t.

Why TikTok may be a little harsh

The past Joe Biden administration was a tough one for TikTok because it was in and out of court due to allegations levelled against it by the government, leading to a ban on the platform.

Fortunately, the new Trump administration reversed the ban, and the platform is slowly getting back on its feet.

As such, it isn’t unusual for the team to be a lot more careful about the way users interact in order to be in the good books of the new administration.

For example, just recently, the company gave a user a 10-year suspension for posting about a lawsuit he filed against the U.S. government for blocking the platform.

Many may think it was ironic that TikTok would block a user who filed a lawsuit to take sides with it against the U.S. government, but it seems that was the beginning of the ongoing censorship.

All the same, some users have gotten their comments restored after appealing and getting reviewed by TikTok.

Maybe technical

While it is possible that TikTok is deliberately embarking on some censorship, it is also possible that the mass and unusual censorship may be due to a technical glitch that needs to be addressed.

There’s no comment from the platform so far, but hopefully there will be an explanation soon if it is a technical glitch. If not, TikTokers may have to learn to live with the new pattern.