TikTok is facing an unexpected shakeup in the U.S., and the numbers are alarming. A sudden surge in uninstalls has fans and critics alike wondering: could this be the start of a bigger shift for the platform? Keep reading to find out why users are walking away and what it could mean for TikTok’s future.
TikTok faces user exodus after ownership change
TikTok is seeing a notable exodus of users in the U.S. Following the app’s transition to American ownership, deletions spiked by nearly 150% within just five days, according to Sensor Tower data shared with CNBC. While this surge hasn’t yet caused a dramatic drop in overall U.S. user numbers, the sudden wave of uninstalls may signal potential challenges ahead for the newly established U.S.-based TikTok operations.
Earlier this year, TikTok’s U.S. business officially shifted from being controlled by its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to a newly formed U.S.-based joint venture to comply with American national security laws and avoid a potential nationwide ban. Under the agreement, majority ownership of the U.S. operation now lies with a group of American and global investors — including Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX — who together hold roughly half of the company’s shares, while ByteDance retains a minority stake.
The new entity, called TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, is responsible for managing key aspects of the platform for American users, such as data protection, algorithm oversight, content moderation, and software security. U.S. officials also plan to retrain and manage the recommendation algorithm using U.S. user data to address long‑standing concerns about foreign access to personal information.
The ownership shift comes after years of political and regulatory pressure in the U.S. over concerns that TikTok’s Chinese ties could pose risks to user privacy and national security.
Why users are deleting TikTok
While the January 2026 ownership transfer sparked the recent surge in uninstalls, the primary catalyst was a mandatory in-app prompt to accept an updated privacy policy.
Users flagged specific policies regarding the collection of sensitive personal information, including:
- Demographic Data: Racial or ethnic origin.
- Identity & Status: Citizenship, immigration status, and sexual orientation.
Although analysts noted that much of this language appeared in archived versions as far back as August 2024, its sudden prominence—combined with the app’s new “conservative-leaning” American leadership—ignited fears of domestic surveillance and censorship. Left-leaning creators, in particular, expressed concern that the new administration-backed owners might suppress content critical of the government.
Beyond privacy concerns, a series of technical cascading failures significantly impacted the user experience during the transition:
- Faulty Algorithms: Users reported that their “For You” pages were reset or failing to deliver relevant content.
- Failed Uploads: Creators experienced “zero-view” glitches and broken video processing.
In the world of short-form video, where instant gratification is the product, even a few days of friction can be fatal. Rather than waiting for TikTok’s new algorithm to recalibrate, many users have simply defected to established alternatives like Instagram Reels, where they already have a functioning, tailored experience.
This shift is reflected in rising downloads for competing apps. According to Sensor Tower, U.S. downloads of social platform UpScrolled surged more than tenfold compared to the previous week, while Rednote climbed 53% and Skylight Social skyrocketed 919% during the same period.
Is TikTok’s popularity beginning to wane?
While TikTok’s daily active user count remains high due to its massive scale, the 150% spike in uninstalls suggests that the platform’s cultural invincibility — its status as a brand so deeply woven into daily life that it feels impossible to replace — is finally being tested. As users begin to prioritize privacy and technical stability over social habits, the next few weeks will determine if this is merely a temporary protest or the beginning of a long-term migration to other social media platforms.
Source: CNBC