Conservative content creators are reporting a significant increase in censorship on TikTok over the past month, with accusations that the platform is systematically taking down and demonetizing their videos. These creators, who collectively boast billions of views across platforms, state that their content is being flagged and removed at an alarming rate, often for reasons they deem unclear or inconsistent with policies applied to other social media sites.
Chloe Trapanotto, who operates the account @itallpolitics and has nearly 500,000 followers, told The Post that she anticipates most of her videos will be removed before she even uploads them. "I basically know every single video will be removed before I even press upload, so I miss out on creator funds and the ability to reach larger audiences," Trapanotto stated. She noted that a video from August 12, which criticized the "new left" and included direct quotes from a political commentator, was removed from TikTok within minutes, though it remained available on platforms like Instagram.
Independent digital journalist Nate Friedman (@natefriedman), with close to 2 million followers, experienced a similar issue with his documentary "The Islamic takeover of Manhattan." After the video garnered 1.5 million views on TikTok, it was removed on September 1 for violating "community guidelines." Friedman reported that his appeals were rejected, and he stated that "my last three documentaries have all been censored or banned" from the platform. He has voiced concerns that continuous censorship could have significant implications given TikTok's reach, with an estimated 170 million users in the US.
Xaviaer DuRousseau (@xaviaer), a conservative commentator with nearly 3 million followers, also reported instances of his videos being removed for hate speech, including content discussing a controversial interview and another that explained the success of Asian communities. He noted that these videos remained accessible on other platforms. DuRousseau has engaged with former Trump administration officials and is planning to meet with Vice President Vance to discuss these concerns.
Friedman, DuRousseau, and another creator, Avery Daye (@Avery.daye), have collaborated on a letter to TikTok outlining their grievances. Daye, who has over 550,000 followers, has reportedly abandoned the platform due to repeated account suspensions and content removal, citing flags for misinformation and hate speech on videos that she believes did not violate any policies.
The letter from the creators highlighted a perceived shift in TikTok's content moderation, suggesting that while conditions had improved for conservative creators for a period after former President Trump's 2025 actions regarding the app's operation in the US, the situation has since worsened. The creators' collective noted that the platform's algorithm and enforcement of guidelines have become "aggressive, targeted, and unpredictable" in recent months.
TikTok's role as a news source, particularly for younger demographics, is significant. Approximately 43% of adults under 30 regularly get their news from the platform, making it a primary source for this age group, surpassing other major social media applications. Questions about the platform's independence persist, particularly concerning its ties to its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, which still holds a significant stake in its U.S. operations.