1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to investigate credible allegations of political censorship on TikTok following its takeover by Trump-aligned investors and to take legislative action protecting free speech on social media platforms. Award-winning Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda was permanently banned from TikTok days after the platform's formal takeover last Thursday. Owda had documented daily life in Gaza for 1.4 million followers over four years. Her Emmy-winning documentary work showed the reality of Israel's military campaign, including attacks on hospitals, leveled neighborhoods, and the displacement of nearly 2 million Gaza residents. Her account termination raises serious questions about viewpoint-based censorship. The platform's new ownership structure includes Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, who holds a 15% stake and oversees data security and algorithm operations. Ellison has described himself as having a "deep emotional connection to the state of Israel" and is listed as the largest private donor to Israeli military causes. Other major stakeholders include Silver Lake, with ties to Jared Kushner, and Emirati firm MGX, which contributed $2 billion to Trump's cryptocurrency startup World Liberty Financial. Since the takeover, users report systematic suppression of content critical of the Trump administration. Content mentioning ICE cannot be uploaded, and direct messages containing the word "Epstein" are blocked. New CEO Adam Presser announced changes designating "Zionist" as hate speech when used in negative contexts. Daily average users deleting TikTok has increased 150% since the new owners took over, according to CNBC. California Governor Gavin Newsom has already launched an investigation into whether the platform is censoring anti-Trump content. This issue demands federal attention and the attention of every state. When a social media platform with massive reach engages in viewpoint discrimination, particularly to benefit political allies and foreign governments, it threatens the free exchange of ideas essential to democracy. I urge you to support investigations into TikTok's censorship practices and to advance legislation ensuring social media platforms cannot engage in politically motivated content suppression. Free speech protections must extend to digital spaces where Americans increasingly communicate and access information.