SINGAPORE: Joleen Teo, a mathematical and theoretical physicist by training, has returned to TikTok after nearly three months of inactivity, addressing what she described as a period of both personal absence and enforced silence following the temporary takedown of her account.
In a video posted on 29 December 2025, Teo directly responded to questions from followers about her disappearance, opening with a candid acknowledgement that her silence had been partly voluntary and partly imposed.
Teo said her TikTok account was taken down shortly after her most recent video, with the platform initially citing an impersonation violation.
Account suspension and appeal process
She rejected that explanation, noting that her account biography explicitly stated that she was “not the MP”.
Teo’s nickname resembles that of Josephine Teo, the Minister for Digital Development and Information from the ruling People’s Action Party, a similarity that has previously drawn attention online.
According to Teo, she submitted an appeal and provided official identification to demonstrate that the account reflected her real name.
Despite this, she said the appeal was rejected and her account remained permanently banned.
She added that TikTok later changed its justification, citing an intellectual property violation.
Teo said she was not informed which video allegedly breached copyright rules, describing the situation as unclear and inconsistent. The issue took about five weeks to resolve.
As a precaution, Teo said she has since created a backup account under the name “notjoteo”, which she described as “super explicit” in distinguishing her identity.
She said the account would be used if her main profile is removed again and may feature more casual content.
Political commentary and previous controversy
Before the suspension, Teo had been actively commenting on Singapore socio-political issues on TikTok, covering topics such as the cost of living, economic conditions, and electoral boundaries.
Her last post before the hiatus was on 12 October, when she publicly challenged Ho Ching’s defence of Singapore’s electoral boundary redrawing.
In that video, Teo questioned inconsistencies in the elector-to-MP ratio and raised concerns about the fairness of group representation constituencies.
Teo highlighted what she described as a 51 per cent disparity between districts, arguing that such variations undermined the principle of equal voting power.
She called for transparent, data-driven standards in boundary reviews, contrasting her analysis with claims that adjustments were made to ensure voter parity.
Personal update and academic commitments
In her 29 December update, Teo said the timing of the account disruption had not been critical, as she had also been occupied with her first semester of PhD coursework.
She added that her social interactions had dropped significantly during that period, joking that acquiring a Kindle had further reduced her online presence.
Teo also revealed that she is working on a project she is unable to discuss until an official press release expected around mid-January 2026. She said the development would provide support for her ongoing work and allow her to continue producing content.
She expressed hope that by 2026 she would be more settled into her routine and able to focus more proactively on her platform, rather than responding primarily to sensational headlines.
Platform ethos and online conduct
Teo said her core ethos would remain unchanged, describing her goal as advocating for everyday Singaporeans. She also mentioned several upcoming collaborations, encouraging followers to watch for future announcements.
Addressing online behaviour, Teo said she recently discovered a consolidated list of filtered TikTok comments and described the content as “vile”, directed both at her and at political leaders she responds to.
She said such remarks were unacceptable regardless of political alignment and stressed her intention to build a platform centred on constructive and respectful political discourse.
Teo acknowledged that political engagement on social media remains a relatively new space and expressed hope for improved conduct in 2026.
Audience reaction
In the comments section, several followers welcomed Teo back and expressed continued support.
Some questioned who might have been responsible for the disruption to her account, while others joked about possible confusion with the minister sharing a similar name.
Other comments praised her analytical approach, describing her critiques as intellectual and educational, and encouraging her to continue posting factual content despite criticism.
Jay Ishaq Rajoo previously flagged his TikTok account banned in September 2024, later restored
Another Singaporean content creator, Jay Ishaq Rajoo, previously flagged that her TikTok account was banned on 30 September 2024.
At the time, Jay questioned the reasons behind the takedown and suggested the action was linked to her political content.
He later revealed that her account was restored on 3 October 2024, describing the incident as strange and unexplained.
Jay said the brief ban raised concerns about content moderation and the space for political expression on social media platforms.
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