Hearing about the same thing for Portland too
Users claim that videos about the protests in LA are getting “shadow banned,” or secretly censored by the TikTok algorithm, with TikTokers in other states saying they were unaware of the protests because the content hadn’t appeared on their feeds. TikTok declined to comment. According to its community guidelines, the platform makes content it deems “not suitable for a broad audience” harder to find in search and ineligible for the “For You Page.” Eligibility standards list hate speech, misinformation, dangerous activity and other subjects as prohibited. Protests are not listed as prohibited content.
Now creators have switched to code words, referring to protests as music festivals to help on-the-ground reports reach a wider audience. Though LA Public Press could not determine who first coined the term, by Wednesday, “Music Festivals 2025” and “LA Music Festival” were trending on the app. There are currently no major music festivals happening in LA right now.
