TikTok Faces Scrutiny After Users Say “Epstein” Blocked in U.S. DMs, Governor Launches Review
Some TikTok users claim the app is censoring the word “Epstein” in direct messages for U.S. users and that allegation is now attracting official scrutiny.
The controversy exploded online after reports TikTok blocked messages containing “Epstein” in U.S. DMs while leaving it unfiltered elsewhere, raising concerns about hidden censorship.
Users began sharing screenshots showing messages failing to send, and some reports tie the issue to broader complaints about content suppression on the platform.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said Monday he’s launching a review to see if TikTok has violated state law on content moderation after users posted examples of alleged blocks.
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But tech news site The Verge tested the claim and found TikTok’s DM system blocks many single-word messages, including innocuous words like “test” while the name “Epstein” goes through when included in a sentence, undermining the idea of a specific ban.
“It appears what’s happening is part of TikTok’s spam/DM filtering, not targeted suppression,” said a tech analyst familiar with platform filters.
This matters because trust in how social platforms moderate speech is already fragile just as TikTok’s U.S. business changes hands and faces regulatory pressure.
Next, state authorities could subpoena TikTok’s moderation tools or policies as part of Newsom’s review.
For now TikTok has not publicly confirmed a ban on the word or detailed how its DM filters work.
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