Just over a week ago, TikTok arrived in the US as a naturalized citizen. Since then, the video app has been fighting for its survival.
TikTok’s troubled transition began on January 22, when its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, finalized a deal to sell the app to a group of US investors, including the business software giant Oracle. Under Chinese ownership, TikTok had experienced a meteoric rise to over a billion users, making established platforms like Instagram seem outdated. But TikTok’s new life in the US has gotten off to a rocky start.
The day after TikTok’s arrival, its new owners updated its privacy policy to allow more extensive data collection, including tracking users’ precise locations. The change was notable less for the privacy implications—which align with other major social networks—and more for the suspicion it cast on the new owners. What did these investors, including billionaire Oracle owner and Maga donor Larry Ellison, plan to do with all that user data? The tweaks sparked doubts that would soon grow into full-blown paranoia.
The weekend after TikTok’s ownership transfer, the US faced two major events. A severe winter storm slammed the country, putting about 230 million people on alert for power outages and burst pipes. At the same time, federal immigration officers killed a 37-year-old US citizen, Alex Pretti, during a protest in Minneapolis—an incident the White House misrepresented despite clear video evidence. Both events would knock TikTok off balance, though in different ways.
Winter Storm Fern crippled several Oracle data centers that TikTok relies on, though the company did not disclose this immediately. The app suffered severe outages as a result, with many users unable to upload videos and others reporting that their posts received zero views despite large followings.
At the same time, prominent figures tried to use TikTok to express outrage over Pretti’s death at the hands of border patrol agents. Many found they couldn’t post videos or that their content got no visibility. In response, users including California state senator Scott Wiener, musician Billie Eilish and her brother, and comedian Meg Stalter accused TikTok of suppressing videos critical of federal immigration agents. Stalter threatened to delete her account, which had nearly 280,000 followers. Major media outlets—from the New York Times to CNN—picked up the story, with Cosmopolitan asking, “Is TikTok Censoring Anti-ICE Content?” Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy called the alleged censorship a “threat to democracy.”
After days of online backlash, real-world scrutiny, and likely numerous press inquiries, TikTok issued a statement on January 26 blaming the issues on snow, ice, and cold weather.
Oracle provided more detail: “Over the weekend, an Oracle data center experienced a temporary weather-related power outage which impacted TikTok. The challenges US TikTok users may be experiencing are the result of technical issues that followed the power outage.” While it’s rare for a storm to disrupt a major digital platform like TikTok—given that popular apps usually have redundant backups—it can happen.
The most powerful figure to accuse TikTok of censorship wasn’t one of its famous users. California Governor Gavin Newsom, better known for his presence on X than on TikTok, announced on January 27 that his office would investigate whether the app had censored videos critical of Donald Trump—broadening the scope of alleged pro-Maga interference.
The delayed explanation did little toTo ease public criticism, an unknown number of users announced they were leaving the new American version of TikTok over perceived censorship. This departure has boosted a new competitor, Upscrolled, which promises less censorship, to the top of the US Apple App Store and third place on Google Play. Upscrolled now claims over a million users. Currently, TikTok ranks 16th on the iPhone App Store and 10th on Google Play. Joining Upscrolled in the top ten most downloaded apps are three virtual private networks (VPNs), used to hide online activity from surveillance, reflecting a widespread unease about government digital intrusion.
With over a billion users globally, TikTok is unlikely to disappear entirely due to these setbacks. Facebook and Instagram have survived much worse scandals. Still, TikTok’s first week in the U.S. does not look promising for its future. The app has eroded user trust, and another mistake could cause more lasting harm.
TikTok’s chaotic week started with Trump. The ownership transfer finalized the “ban-or-sell” deal the former president proposed nearly six years ago, and he expressed delight that it had finally happened. In the years between, Trump had wavered in his support; his rival Joe Biden backed it during his presidency; Congress passed a law enshrining Trump’s demands and legally forcing TikTok’s sale; and the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the law despite a challenge from TikTok and significant public opposition. Trump also ordered an immigration crackdown that led to the deaths of two U.S. citizens. The only part of TikTok’s awful week Trump wasn’t involved in was the winter weather.
TikTok’s troubled launch coincides with a similar mishap from the past. Just over a year ago, the app went dark in the U.S. for less than 24 hours due to the same “sell-or-ban” law that prompted the recent sale. Its new owners can only hope their current troubles fade just as quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about TikToks first week under American ownership designed to sound like questions from real users
Beginner Definition Questions
1 Wait I thought TikTok was already owned by Americans
No it wasnt Until recently TikTok was owned by ByteDance a Chinese company The new law forced ByteDance to sell TikToks US operations to an Americanowned company to avoid a ban
2 What does American ownership actually mean for TikTok
It means a new USbased parent company now controls TikToks US operations data and algorithm The goal is to separate US user data from any potential Chinese government influence
3 Who owns TikTok now
As of this first week the ownership is in transition A new US company is being formed Major reported bidders have included tech companies like Oracle who would likely handle data and cloud services
The Rocky Start Immediate Problems
4 Why was the first week so rocky
The launch faced several immediate technical and legal hurdles app glitches confusion over data migration pushback from creators fearing censorship and ongoing legal challenges to the sale itself
5 What kind of glitches did users see
Users reported login issues videos failing to load strange algorithmic recommendations and features like direct messaging acting buggy as systems were transferred to new servers
6 Are my old videos and data safe
The new American company is responsible for migrating all US user data to its own secure servers While the intent is to keep everything data transfers on this scale are complex and there is always a small risk of temporary loss or corruption during the move
7 Will the TikTok algorithm change now
Potentially yes The core For You Page algorithm is a key asset The American owners will have access to its code and may adjust it which could change the content you seeeither slightly or significantly over time
Advanced Impact Questions
8 How does this affect creators and businesses on TikTok
Shortterm Uncertainty Glitches hurt video reach and engagement
