Comedian Megan Stalter has joined other celebrities in claiming TikTok is censoring anti-ICE videos. 

The actress, who is best known for her role as Kayla in the HBO Max comedy series Hacks, spoke out about abolishing ICE and deleting TikTok after the fatal shootings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Both were were killed during separate encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

On Monday (26 January), Stalter announced she is leaving the platform, citing that she believed it had censored anti-ICE videos she made.

She captioned the post: “I’ve tried for hours to upload the same video and it wouldn’t show it to one person. ABOLISH ICE! Delete TikTok!”

Stalter added in text over a photo of herself that she is downloading her videos and “deleting” her TikTok page because the app “is under new ownership and we are being completely censored and monitored”. 

She also highlighted TikTok’s privacy policy, claiming that following its acquisition by an investor group headed by Trump ally and Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison, the app could collect sensitive information about its users, including if they’re trans or non-binary, as well as their citizenship or immigration status. 

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TechCrunch, however, noted that this language has been included in TikTok’s privacy policy since August 2024 and complies with “state privacy laws like California’s Consumer Privacy Act”. 

Stalter isn’t alone in calling out TikTok, with Billie Eilish having claimed that her brother, Finneas, had his video calling out ICE censored. Eilish took to her Instagram Stories to share a screenshot of her brother’s anti-ICE TikTok video showing only 114 likes. 

However, the video has seen received more views and over 473,000 likes. 

@finneas

♬ original sound – FINNEAS

Other celebrities who have spoken out about ICE include Ariana Grande, Olivia Rodrigo, Bella Hadid, SZA and Sabrina Carpenter, to name a few. 

PinkNews has contacted TikTok for comment. 

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The post Megan Stalter among big names claiming TikTok is censoring anti-ICE videos appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Gus Kenworthy has the skills needed to make it in the world of Heated Rivalry and might have also just put his best skate-wearing foot forwards to join the cast.

The Olympic skier, 34, has come out of retirement to represent Team GB at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy. In 2015, Kenworthy came out as gay after being linked to Miley Cyrus, a relationship he’s said is mirrored in the Canadian LGBTQ+ sports drama.

Speaking to The New Yorker recently Kenworthy discussed getting into the worldwide phenomenon. The interviewer also suggested that the athlete could be well suited for a part in season two.

Creators of the series confirmed season two was happening last year. Showrunner Jacob Tierney’s recent comments have also boosted hopes for a third season.

Answering the interviewer’s suggestion Kenworthy then said: “You know, I played hockey through high school. I can skate, and I know how to handle a stick.”

In interviews, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, who play rival ice hockey players Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander respectively, have discussed coming into the roles without much skating experience.

Joining Late Night with Seth Meyers earlier this month, Storrie revealed the pair had “two weeks of skating training” prior to filming.

So, hiring an actor with some actual skating experience could be a good thing for the show, allowing them to show off more hockey as well as more of the intimate moments the series has become famous for.

And there are number of roles Kenworthy could take on. We’ve had strong hints that Kyle (Matthew Finlan) could be a main character in season two. Kyle is the main character in the fourth Game Changers book, Common Goal. There he meets Scott’s teammate, Eric Bennett, a character not yet depicted in the TV series, potentially a good fit for Kenworthy.

Italy will be Kenworthy’s fourth Olympics. He won silver at the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014 and also competed in PyeongChang (2018) and Beijing (2022).

Away from the sport, Kenworthy’s made NSFW homemade jockstraps and launched an LGBTQ+ book club with Dylan Mulvaney. Kenworthy has also starred in the horror anthology series American Horror Story and appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.

Heated Rivalry is streaming now.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Gay Olympian puts himself forward for Heated Rivalry season 2 role as he can ‘handle a stick’ appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.