TikTok apologizes for suspending the account of a U.S. teen because of videos highlighting China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims

Under pressure from millions of fans on social media, ByteDance, the parent company of the popular video app TikTok, finally issued a public apology after blocking and suspending an account belonging to a 17-year old U.S. teen because her videos highlighting China’s treatment of Muslims. The video, which was disguised as makeup tutorials went viral online, exposed China’s government treatment of Uyghur Muslims.

Here is the original video on TikTok and also on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/soIardan/status/1198664176304037890

TikTok reversed its decision to ban an American teenage account. The young girl posted a video in which she discussed China’s mass detention of ethnic minority Muslims. The incident also sparked new concerns about whether Chinese tech giant ByteDance’s TikTok would block users in accordance with Chinese government censorship directives. However, the company has denied the allegations.

However, the apology fell flat for 17-year-old Feroza Aziz because TikTok flagged one of her videos again less than 24 hours later—and she flatly rejected their response in a tweet Thursday. “This isn’t the first time tik tok has tried to silence me about the Uyghur genocide. Here is the first video I made on my previous account that was deleted and taken down. Tik tok, I deserve answers. What are you trying to hide? I have reached out and haven’t gotten any answers,” Feroza tweeted.

This isn’t the first time tik tok has tried to silence me about the Uyghur genocide. Here is the first video I made on my previous account that was deleted and taken down. Tik tok, I deserve answers. What are you trying to hide? I have reached out and haven’t gotten any answers. pic.twitter.com/7xEjkBRzv8

— Feroza Aziz (@ferozaazizz) November 27, 2019

Operated by a separate holdings, TikTok is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance. The popular app has been under mounting scrutiny from U.S. officials concerning its relationship with the Chinese government.

Below is the video.