Independent News Outlet Banned From TikTok Over "Innocuous" Content

Background of the Incident

A small independent media outlet, Off The Press, faced a significant challenge when its TikTok account was temporarily banned. This happened after the outlet posted two videos that featured U.S. lawmakers discussing a recent news event involving the shooting of Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA. Off The Press describes itself as a "news brand for Americans who feel the mainstream media ignores the stories they care about most." The incident has raised concerns about content moderation and free speech on the platform.

Details of the Videos and Ban

The incident began on September 12 when two videos were flagged as "ineligible for recommendation" for violating community guidelines. Both videos showed elected officials offering condolences and prayers for Charlie Kirk, who was reportedly shot while speaking at a university in Utah. One of the videos featured Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, and it had garnered approximately 300,000 views before being flagged.

According to the founder of Off The Press, whose full name was not provided, the account was completely banned on September 13. He told the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF) that TikTok never specified which community guidelines were violated. "It was just a video of a lawmaker talking, and TikTok arbitrarily decided that an elected lawmaker speaking about a pertinent news topic is just not allowed," he said. He noted that other legacy news outlets that reported on the same topic did not face similar repercussions.

Appeals and Restoration

Baron appealed the ban multiple times and tried to contact TikTok directly but received no response. The account was unexpectedly restored on Wednesday, only for another video—this time of First Lady Melania Trump speaking with children—to be flagged the next day. This new violation put the account at risk of another ban.

Concerns Over Content Moderation

The incident has reignited concerns over content moderation and free speech on the platform, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. In April 2024, Congress passed a law requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok's U.S. operations or face a ban, citing national security risks. However, President Donald Trump recently signed his fourth extension of the deadline, keeping the app operational while a deal is finalized.

Baron suggested that the company's Chinese ownership and lack of accountability may be the root of the problem. "I think this stresses the importance of bringing TikTok under American ownership, where I think an American owner would be more accountable and would actually have to address some of these concerns about freedom of speech, fairness and content moderation," he stated.

Potential Deal and Uncertainties

Under a potential deal, TikTok's U.S. business would be majority-owned by an Oracle-led investor group, reducing ByteDance's stake to below 20%. However, it remains uncertain whether the new U.S. entity would still rely on a China-built algorithm, a point of concern for those who believe the algorithm could be manipulated. TikTok did not respond to the DCNF's request for comment.

Additional Information

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