As the world’s digital landscape continues to evolve at breakneck speed, TikTok finds itself at the heart of a growing storm over national sovereignty, youth culture, and privacy rights. In Nigeria and the United States, recent moves by regulators and the social media giant itself have sparked intense debate about who ultimately controls the flow of content and data on one of the world’s most popular apps.
On October 26, 2025, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General of Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), made it clear that Nigeria wants more say over how TikTok operates within its borders. In a candid interview with France 24’s Tech 24, Inuwa did not mince words about the platform’s impact on the country’s youth. “We want see people using it to promote digital safety, to promote content that will build a stronger nation,” he stated. “But mostly we use it for entertainment which eats our youth's time. People are not focusing on building skills they need to succeed for tomorrow.”
His concerns are far from abstract. Nigeria boasts roughly 37 million TikTok users over the age of 18—a massive audience that has made the Chinese-owned app a fixture of daily life. Yet, as Inuwa sees it, the platform’s global content policies are not enough. He praised the United States’ push for digital sovereignty, referencing ongoing American efforts to bring TikTok’s U.S. operations under domestic control. “When we look at what the US is doing on digital sovereignty, what is good for the US is also good for Africa and Nigeria,” Inuwa argued. “Sometimes [platforms] don't listen to us when designing their own policies. They don't take into consideration our laws. But when we have that self determination, we should be the one to tell them this is how we want this platform to operate in Nigeria.”
Already, Nigeria has taken concrete steps to assert control. NITDA’s Code of Practice now requires social media platforms to remove harmful content within 24 hours of being flagged by authorities—without any appeals process for users. While this code is not considered as robust as the European Union’s Digital Services Act, it has put TikTok on notice. The company responded by removing more than 7.5 million videos in Nigeria in the first half of 2025, nearly double the amount taken down during the same period in 2024. Yet, Inuwa insists that these efforts fall short. “We should determine what is good for our citizens and what is not good for our citizens,” he said. “Nobody will just come and influence or do dominate the digital space on their own terms. Anybody coming will work with our own terms and we will be on the driver's seat as a sovereign nation.”
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, TikTok has been quietly changing its own rules—this time with profound implications for user privacy. As reported by Latin Times and Forbes, TikTok modified its privacy and law enforcement policies earlier this year, granting government and regulatory agencies broader authority to request user data, often without the knowledge of the users themselves. The timing of these changes coincides with negotiations between TikTok and the Trump administration, which continues to demand that the app’s U.S. operations be sold to a group of American and allied investors.
The updated policy now allows TikTok to share user information not only with law enforcement but also with “regulatory authorities, where relevant,” a significant shift from its previous stance. Perhaps even more concerning for privacy advocates, TikTok’s guidelines now state that users will only be notified of data disclosures “where required by law,” rather than as a matter of course. In practical terms, this means users may be informed only after their data has been handed over, eliminating their ability to contest government requests in advance.
Agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could now access user data through administrative subpoenas—requests that do not require a judge’s approval. These subpoenas can compel companies to release sensitive information like usernames, IP addresses, and contact details. While such requests are less powerful than judicial subpoenas, TikTok has not clarified whether it will resist or comply with them.
Previously, major social media platforms like Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram) have pushed back against administrative subpoenas and notified users when their data was sought, giving them a chance to fight the requests in court. By removing its prior notice requirement, TikTok’s new policy could make that process impossible, according to Forbes.
The language of TikTok’s policies has also shifted subtly but significantly. Where the company once promised “TikTok rejects data requests,” it now says “TikTok may reject data requests,” granting itself much wider discretion to share data voluntarily. In another change, a section formerly titled “reporting obligations” is now called “proactive reports obligations,” which allows TikTok to share user data even in the absence of formal legal requests when it suspects child exploitation or financial misconduct, as Tech Story noted.
Privacy advocates are uneasy about these developments, warning that the weakened language and lack of transparency could leave users vulnerable. TikTok has not provided public explanations for the policy changes or confirmed whether U.S. agencies have already requested user data under the new rules. The company only states that it reviews all legal requests in accordance with applicable laws.
For many, these shifts highlight the difficult balancing act facing global tech platforms. On one hand, governments like Nigeria’s are demanding tighter control over content and stronger enforcement of local laws, arguing that only national authorities can truly protect their citizens’ interests. On the other hand, privacy experts worry that increasing government access to user data—especially without transparency or recourse—could open the door to abuses, censorship, or surveillance.
There’s no easy answer. Some observers see Nigeria’s approach as a necessary assertion of digital sovereignty, a way to ensure that global platforms respect local cultures, values, and laws. Others fear that such measures could stifle free expression or encourage heavy-handed moderation, especially when appeals processes are absent and content can be removed at the whim of authorities. In the U.S., the debate is similarly fraught, with political leaders citing national security concerns while civil liberties groups warn of eroding privacy rights.
All of this comes as TikTok’s popularity shows no signs of waning. The platform continues to attract millions of users—young and old alike—who rely on it for entertainment, news, and connection. Yet, as governments tighten their grip and companies rewrite the rules, the question of who truly controls the digital public square remains as urgent as ever.
For now, TikTok’s fate in Nigeria, the U.S., and beyond hangs in the balance, caught between the competing demands of national sovereignty, user privacy, and the inexorable pull of global technology.