TikTok users in the United States are deleting the app at a sharply higher rate, with daily uninstalls rising by nearly 150% over five days following the announcement of its new US joint-venture structure. The surge in removals, tracked by market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, reflects a notable shift in user behaviour and ongoing scrutiny of the platform’s ownership transition.
The New Guard: Oracle and the USDS Joint Venture
The shift stems from the creation of TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, formed to satisfy federal divestiture mandates. Under this structure, majority control has moved to a consortium of American and allied investors. Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX (an Abu Dhabi-based AI fund) each hold a 15% stake. ByteDance retains a 19.9% minority share, the maximum allowed under the current “qualified divestiture” certification.
The change has raised concerns among users, especially over Oracle’s involvement. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison’s political ties to Donald Trump have fueled fears that the platform could be influenced by right-wing interests or increased government oversight. As a result, many users have chosen to delete the app, with some saying they trust the previous model more than the new US-led structure.
Privacy Panic: Tracking Sensitive Personal Data
User backlash has also intensified following updates to TikTok’s privacy policy and terms of service. Although the platform’s overall data collection practices have not changed significantly, the revised policy now clearly lists categories of sensitive information it may collect, such as racial or ethnic origin, sexual life or sexual orientation, citizenship or immigration status, and financial details.
Another key concern is TikTok’s request for precise location data through device geolocation using GPS, Wi-Fi signals, and cell towers to determine exact user locations. While this feature is optional and requires user consent, its rollout alongside the recent ownership changes has increased fears about personal data security. The combination of expanded disclosure language and new location access requests has raised concerns about privacy risks and potential government access to user information.
Silencing Dissent: Allegations of Political Censorship
Claims of political censorship have become a major driver of users leaving TikTok. Some users allege the platform is limiting content critical of US government agencies, especially Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Comedian Megan Stalter deleted her account after being unable to upload a video about ICE, even when framed as a comedy skit. Musician Billie Eilish also raised concerns after a post from her brother discussing ICE received unusually low engagement despite his large audience.
TikTok reported a technical outage following recent disruptions on the platform, but the timing has sparked widespread speculation about political censorship. The hashtag #TikTokCensorship trended across social media as users questioned whether the company’s new ownership structure is influencing content moderation. Many users allege that certain viewpoints, particularly those critical of the current US administration, are being suppressed, despite TikTok’s denial of politically motivated actions.
Blackout: Weekend Outages Fuel Deeper Distrust
Widespread technical disruptions paralyzed TikTok’s services over the weekend of January 24–25, 2026, compounding user distrust during the platform’s ownership transition. Downdetector logged over 35,000 reports as users were unable to log in, upload videos, or refresh feeds. The newly formed TikTok USDS Joint Venture attributed the disruptions to a power outage at a U.S.-based data center, which caused a “cascading systems failure.” While the company apologized for the “display errors” (such as videos showing zero views), the timing fueled intense speculation. High-profile users, including comedian Megan Stalter, deleted the app, alleging that content critical of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was being suppressed. Stalter claimed her posts were blocked even when framed as comedy, leading to a trending #TikTokCensorship movement that coincided with a 150% surge in daily uninstalls, according to Sensor Tower.
The Migration: Rivals Gain as Users Seek Alternatives
The turmoil of TikTok has directly boosted rival platforms as users seek alternatives amid service disruptions and censorship concerns. Indie social app UpScrolled, founded by Australian founder Issam Hijazi, saw its US downloads surge more than tenfold in a week, pushing it into the top ranks of the Apple App Store as a touted censorship-free platform with a chronological feed. Other nascent apps like Skylight Social and Rednote also experienced a significant increase in downloads, signaling a shift in user interest toward platforms perceived as more independent, transparent, and free from algorithmic bias.
