Am I being censored? Some US TikTok users say app feels different after ban lifted

U.S. TikTok users who once saw the app as a haven for free speech say they see signs of censorship after the platform was revived.

U.S. TikTok users who once saw the app as a haven for free speech say they see signs of censorship after the platform, which is owned by China's ByteDance, was revived by an executive order from President Donald Trump.

TikTok users are noting a difference in the short-video app following its revival after going dark on Saturday under a new law - enacted over national security concerns during the Biden administration with bipartisan support - that requires it to be sold to a U.S. buyer. Trump has vowed to find a solution to the ban, with several bidders in the mix, including people with close relationships to the new Republican president.

Users say they are seeing fewer livestreams, and some activity is being removed or flagged at higher rates for violating community guidelines, including for behavior that was previously permitted.

"While we’re restoring our services in the U.S., some TikTok features may be temporarily unstable or unavailable. We're working hard to resolve this issue," TikTok told U.S. users in a message in the app on Tuesday.

TikTok did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

But some users said they now see more content moderation, like limited search results, as well as warnings about misinformation and prompts for users to check their sources.

Some claimed TikTok was striking comments that used phrases like "Free Palestine" and "Free Luigi," a reference to Luigi Mangione, who is accused of killing a UnitedHealth executive, which had been previously allowed.