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Gaza Journalist Bisan Owda Says TikTok Restores Account With Limits After Reported Ban

Her case intensifies scrutiny of TikTok’s new U.S. leadership over content moderation tied to IsraelPalestine.

Overview

  • Owda told Al Jazeera she regained access a day after announcing a permanent ban, adding that many videos are now labeled “ineligible for recommendation” and her account is harder to find unless users type the full username.
  • Hours after her ban claim, her handle appeared on TikTok with a banner stating “Posts that some may find uncomfortable are unavailable,” and some content seemed restricted.
  • TikTok declined to comment on the specific account; a statement to The New Arab said her account was temporarily restricted in September over an impersonation risk and is now operating normally.
  • The episode follows the recent creation of a U.S.-controlled TikTok entity, with investors holding 80 percent and ByteDance retaining 20 percent.
  • Owda and advocates point to recent moderation signals from U.S. executives, including treating “Zionist” as a proxy for a protected attribute, as part of broader concerns about suppression of pro-Palestinian content.