TikTok Blames U.S. Data-Center Power Outage for Weekend Glitches as Users Allege Political Censorship

TikTok said a power outage at a U.S. data center caused widespread service disruptions over the weekend, but the interruptions coincided with user reports that politically sensitive posts—especially about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and a fatal Minneapolis shooting—were being suppressed. The timing, coming days after ByteDance finalized the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations to a group of investors that includes Oracle allies, amplified concerns about potential editorial influence under new ownership.

Company Response

In a post on X, TikTok said it was working to restore services after a power outage at a U.S. data center that affected TikTok and other apps hosted there. The company apologized for the disruption and said it was coordinating with its data center partner to stabilize service.

Jamie Favazza, TikTok’s head of communications under the platform’s new U.S. ownership, told NBC News that the disruptions were not the result of censorship but stemmed from the outage. She cautioned that some new posts could still experience issues while systems were fully restored.

What Users Reported

Across social networks, creators and ordinary users said they encountered upload failures, unusually low views, temporary account suspensions, and videos placed into review—particularly when posting about ICE enforcement in Minneapolis and the killing of Alex Pretti. Some users reported receiving messages that their videos were 'ineligible for recommendation.'

Journalists at NBC News also experienced errors when uploading footage over the weekend. In some cases, uploads failed; in others, videos were published but received no engagement.

Political Context And Ownership Change

The outages occurred days after ByteDance completed the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations to an investor group that includes Oracle allies. The investors said they plan changes to TikTok’s algorithm and Trust & Safety practices but gave no timeline. That handoff has already stoked anxiety among creators who fear the platform could shift away from being a hub for progressive news and criticism of conservative politics.

Prominent figures amplified the concerns. Influencers and celebrities—including actor Megan Stalter and singer Billie Eilish—posted about alleged censorship, and an X post claiming TikTok was censoring anti-Trump and anti-ICE content drew more than 1 million views. A top thread on Reddit’s TikTok subreddit even asked whether users should delete the app en masse.

Privacy Policy And Expert Views

Some users pointed to an updated Privacy Policy released the day the sale was finalized, which lists access to certain 'sensitive personal information'—including citizenship or immigration status and precise location data. TechCrunch reported these disclosures were not new and appear to reflect compliance with California law rather than a change in practice.

David Greene, senior counsel at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, warned that the sale creates the possibility of political influence over the platform. Critics have previously argued that forcing a sale or changing ownership to satisfy national-security concerns could enable future presidents to shape who controls the service and, by extension, its editorial posture.

Aftermath

Following the outage and the surge of concern, some users temporarily migrated to alternatives such as YouTube Shorts and the short-video app UpScrolled, which saw a notable rise in App Store downloads. TikTok said it continued working to fully restore services and stabilize user experience.

Bottom line: TikTok attributes the weekend’s glitches to a data-center power outage, but the disruptions—coming on the heels of a high-profile sale of its U.S. operations—fueled widespread fears about censorship and data privacy.