At a Glance
- TikTok‘s newly formed U.S. entity, led by Adam Presser, is experiencing a major infrastructure outage.
- Users report videos stuck in review, zero view counts, and livestream interruptions.
- The outage has fueled speculation that the platform’s content rules may shift toward a right-wing stance.
Why it matters: The technical problems and perceived policy changes could drive users toward competing apps and reshape how political content is moderated on a global platform.
TikTok’s Ownership Transition
The U.S. law that requires TikTok to be run by a U.S. company or be banned led to the creation of a joint venture earlier this month. Adam Presser was named the new CEO. Oracle holds 15 percent of the venture, giving Larry Ellison influence over the U.S. operations.
The transition from TikTok’s Singapore base to a U.S.-centric structure was intended to comply with the new law. However, the handoff appears to be struggling, as the company’s data center partners in the U.S. face operational challenges.
App Rankings and Rising Alternatives
According to Appfigures, the top five free iPhone apps in the U.S. right now are:
- ChatGPT
- JumpJumpVPN
- V2Box
- UpScrolled
- Threads
Apple blogger John Gruber of Daring Fireball listed the most popular iPhone apps for all of 2025 as:
- ChatGPT
- Threads
- TikTok
The appearance of VPN apps between ChatGPT and Threads suggests users may be seeking ways to access TikTok outside the U.S. market. UpScrolled, an Australian video and text sharing app, has also gained traction.
Infrastructure Issues and User Reports
An X post from TikTok explained that a power outage at one of its U.S. data-center partner sites triggered a major infrastructure issue. The outage has led to:
- Videos remaining in review indefinitely
- Posts receiving low or zero view counts despite high engagement elsewhere
- Livestreamers receiving messages to stop streaming immediately
- Irrelevant search results
- A lack of analytics in TikTok Studio
Oracle confirmed that the outage was caused by a weather-related blackout at one of its data centers. The company’s statement was shared on X.
| Issue | Description |
|---|---|
| Review delay | Content stuck in review for extended periods |
| View count drop | Posts show zero or minimal views |
| Livestream interruptions | Random stop-stream messages |
| Search anomalies | Irrelevant results returned |
| Analytics gaps | Studio lacks analytics features |
Perceived Political Implications
The technical glitches have been interpreted by some users as the result of a right-wing takeover. This perception is fueled by:
- Oracle’s 15 percent stake, controlled by Larry Ellison
- The involvement of the Trump Administration in overseeing the transition
- The Biden-era push to ban TikTok amid fears of extremist influence
Users have reported feeling censored. For example, a Bluesky user, @pnwpolicyangel.bsky.social, wrote:
“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.”
An Instagram user, erinmayequade, said:
“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.”
The platform has not yet responded to these concerns. The lack of a public statement has only intensified speculation.
Current Status and Next Steps
News Of Austin reached out to TikTok’s U.S. joint venture for clarification. The response included links to statements on X, including Oracle’s explanation. News Of Austin followed up, specifically asking if any content rules had changed since the ownership transition. An update will be provided once a reply is received.
While there is no concrete evidence of a policy shift, the combination of infrastructure problems and user reports suggests that some TikTok users may be migrating preemptively to other platforms. The situation mirrors the rapid policy changes that occurred at Twitter after Elon Musk’s acquisition.
Key Takeaways
- TikTok’s new U.S. ownership is grappling with a major infrastructure outage.
- Users experience significant content moderation delays and livestream disruptions.
- The outage has sparked fears of a right-wing policy shift, partly due to Oracle’s stake.
- No official statement has been issued; follow-up is underway.
- Users may consider alternative apps amid uncertainty.
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