TikTok isn’t in great shape lately, and it looks like some users have had enough. My friend Sarah, a dedicated TikTok creator, texted me a screenshot of her latest video stuck in “review” for over 24 hours – a common complaint I’ve been hearing. It seems some are already searching for greener pastures, or at least, a platform where their content sees the light of day.
According to Appfigures, the five most downloaded free iPhone apps in the United States right now are:
- ChatGPT
- JumpJumpVPN
- V2Box
- UpScrolled
- Threads
Yesterday, Apple blogger John Gruber of Daring Fireball posted the overall most popular iPhone apps for all of 2025, and the five most downloaded were:
- ChatGPT
- Threads
- TikTok
TikTok’s Troubles: Are Users Really Fleeing?
I noticed something strange while browsing the app store: a surge in VPN downloads right beside ChatGPT and Threads. It’s been pointed out, the sudden appearance of JumpJumpVPN, V2Box, and UpScrolled among the app store’s elite suggests many are seeking alternatives or workarounds to TikTok’s current state. VPNs theoretically allow access to TikTok via servers in regions where the US restrictions don’t apply, and UpScrolled is an Australian video and text sharing app that recently went viral.
To recap, after years of pressure on ByteDance to cede control, a new U.S.-run entity was formed earlier this month, headed by Adam Presser, to comply with U.S. law that mandates American ownership or a ban.
However, this joint venture seems to be grappling with the handover from TikTok’s Singapore headquarters (though U.S. user data was already primarily stored in the U.S.). It’s like watching a complex machine being reassembled while it’s still running.
According to a statement on X, TikTok is experiencing “a major infrastructure issue triggered by a power outage at one of our U.S. data center partner sites.” Oracle has clarified that the problem is due to a weather-related blackout at one of its data centers. Oracle owns 15 percent of the new TikTok U.S. venture.
These technical difficulties align with user complaints: videos stuck in review, low or zero view counts despite high engagement on other posts. Additional issues consistent with a data center outage include missing analytics in TikTok Studio, streamers receiving sudden warnings to stop broadcasting, and irrelevant search results.
What Issues Are TikTok Users Experiencing?
As highlighted above, many TikTok users are reporting videos stuck in the review phase, coupled with lower-than-expected view counts despite the usual engagement metrics such as comments and shares being high. There are also reports of missing analytics, streams being cut off without explanation, and search functions returning irrelevant results.
The underlying cause of these problems appears to be related to infrastructure issues, specifically a weather-related power outage at one of Oracle’s US data centers. Oracle has a 15% stake in the new US TikTok venture.
The Political Undercurrent: A Right-Wing Takeover?
I’ve seen the murmurs online – the feeling that TikTok’s technical hiccups are, at least partially, the result of a shift in ideology. Oracle’s 15 percent stake in TikTok U.S. is controlled by Larry Ellison, and the ownership shift is being overseen by the Trump Administration. Let’s not forget the previous administration’s concerns that TikTok was turning young users into Maoists, Hamas-supporting terrorists.
But have content rules changed? Not that we know of. There are old reports that TikTok CEO Adam Presser once addressed a quirky moderation practice regarding Israel – treating “Zionist” as hate speech if used negatively. This doesn’t seem to be a new policy, although Grok seems to think it is. The policy may relate to a rule change around Zionism that apparently rolled out in 2024.
Gizmodo contacted TikTok’s U.S. joint venture for more information, receiving links to the statements on X, including Oracle’s. We followed up, asking whether content rules had changed after the ownership change. We will update if we hear back.
Are TikTok’s Content Rules Changing?
As of now, there’s no official confirmation of altered content rules from TikTok. While there have been reports about past moderation practices, specifically the treatment of the word “Zionist”, these don’t appear to be new policies coinciding with the US ownership. Gizmodo has reached out to TikTok’s US joint venture for clarification, but is yet to receive a comprehensive response. The issues remain speculative, based on user perception and historical moderation tactics.
Around Sunday, TikTok users began reporting perceived censorship of political content.
“TikTok has been under new leadership for like a day and I made a slideshow with posts from the ICE rally today and it immediately got out under review and is not being published,” wrote Bluesky user @pnwpolicyangel.bsky.social.
Instagram user erinmayequade wrote:
“TikTok is cooked. They won’t even post my last two videos — I can see them, but anyone else who goes to my profile won’t even see them. Overnight, our federal government has silenced and suppressed dissent [on] one of our largest platforms. Not just content, but everything from certain people.”
Rolling out restrictive policies like this so quickly would be a mistake, especially given the current political climate. TikTok hasn’t commented on this speculation.
But if users *are* leaving due to perceived censorship, despite no concrete proof, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re wrong to do so. Perhaps they expect changes akin to Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter. With that in mind, some TikTok users might be proactively jumping ship at the first sign of trouble to avoid changes they believe are coming.
What Are TikTok Users’ Biggest Concerns?
Based on reports, it appears that TikTok users are increasingly concerned about potential censorship of their content, especially politically themed posts. Some users have reported that their videos are being blocked for publication, leading to speculation that the platform is suppressing dissent. This has stirred anxiety, leading some to preemptively seek alternative platforms in case of a perceived crackdown on political speech similar to what happened at X when Elon Musk acquired the company.
If the user experience is the engine of a social platform, then TikTok’s is sputtering. Are these glitches, or are they the first tremors of a larger shift?