Anti-Palestinian Billionaires Influence TikTok Content Moderation

TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance has signed binding agreements with U.S. and global investors to operate its business in America, as announced on December 18, 2025. The deal poses a threat to free discourse regarding Israel's actions in Gaza, as control of TikTok's algorithm will shift to a consortium led by U.S. technology company Oracle.

Billionaires Larry Ellison and Safra Catz, both known for their pro-Israel stance, are set to influence the content moderation policies on TikTok. Ellison has previously donated $16.6 million to the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces and has expressed a commitment to Israel, while Catz has indicated that employees who do not align with their pro-Israel mission may not fit within the company.

This transfer of control could result in the suppression of content critical of Israel, which has been pivotal in shaping U.S. public opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Recent surveys indicate a significant shift in attitudes, with a Pew Research poll showing a rise in unfavorable views of Israel among younger Republicans and Democrats.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees the sale of TikTok as a vital part of military strategy, emphasizing the importance of social media in contemporary warfare. The U.S. government mandated ByteDance to sell its U.S. operations, threatening a ban if compliance was not met.

The sale, reportedly closing on January 22, 2026, will result in the establishment of TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, with Oracle and other investors owning over 80 percent. Critics argue that this deal is an attempt to silence dissenting voices regarding Israel's military actions, as evidenced by actions taken prior to the 2024 law that began to restrict critical content.

Activists have launched the #TakeBackTikTok campaign to counter this censorship, aiming to flood the platform with pro-Palestinian content and challenge the influence of Ellison and Catz. This moment is critical as TikTok shifts from ByteDance to Oracle, raising concerns about the implications for free speech and public discourse on U.S. foreign policy.