California launches review of TikTok over alleged suppression of Trump-critical content post-U.S. ownership shift.

California Governor Gavin Newsom launched a review into TikTok’s content moderation, alleging the platform suppressed posts critical of former President Donald Trump, following the completion of a U.S.-controlled joint venture that transfers data storage and oversight to American investors. The new entity, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, gives U.S. and global investors 80.1% ownership, while ByteDance retains 19.9%, with approval from both U.S. and Chinese authorities. TikTok attributed recent technical issues to a data center power outage, denying intentional suppression. The review, led by the California Department of Justice, will examine whether the platform’s practices violate state law. The move underscores ongoing political and security concerns over foreign-owned tech platforms.