In the aftermath of TikTok’s brief ban in the United States—enforced and reversed within 12 hours—users are raising concerns over changes in the platform’s search functionality and content moderation policies.

The Chinese-owned app, at the center of a long-running battle with the U.S. government, was temporarily blocked from American devices. Users were met with a message stating, “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”

The ban was lifted hours later, replaced with a new banner reading: “Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the US!” The sequence of events, paired with the wording of these messages, has fueled speculation about the app’s relationship with U.S. political powers and its potential realignment under new leadership.

Political commentator Gabrielle A. Perry, MPH, took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice her concerns, saying: “You cannot even search the word ‘fascism’ on TikTok anymore. People are searching for info on Palestine, the L.A. wildfires, and even the Holocaust and being told to look out for ‘misinformation.’ We’re watching censorship and propaganda in real time.”

Screenshots accompanying her post showed searches for terms like “fascism,” “Hitler,” “California wildfires,” and “Palestine” yielding limited or no results, with messages encouraging users to fact-check information independently.

Her post, which has garnered over 1.7 million views, sparked a heated debate about TikTok’s evolving policies. Several users shared additional examples of content being flagged or removed.

The reactions were intense, with some users accusing TikTok of suppressing information to align with potential new political agendas. Among the replies, one user commented, “This is what an occupied country looks like. The freedoms and norms taken right from you.” Another said, “Lmaooo you can’t make this s*** up! They want us to be ignorant and obedient asf.” A third added, “I’m done with TikTok. It’s censoring everything that mattered and will become a right-wing echo chamber.”

The timing of the ban and its reversal has led some to question whether TikTok’s U.S. operations are being altered under political pressure. One commenter speculated, “They shut TikTok down so they could reboot it to their agenda…” while another warned, “American TikTok is not and will not be the same app. Been saying it since the ban mention, that regardless if it sells or stays around, IT WILL NOT be the same as before.”