As TikTok enters a new era under U.S. ownership, creators and brands are already feeling changes. Disruptions are plaguing the platform like missed payouts, stalled commerce, and content seemingly lost to the algorithm, calling into question the platform’s integrity and long-term viability.
On Jan. 22, 2026, TikTok formally established its majority American-owned entity, TikTok USDC Joint Venture LLC, following a mandated divestment from ByteDance. Consequently, the platform lost significant functionality over the weekend, and creators and brands have taken notice.
Here’s what’s happening on the platform and where brands and creators are heading next.
What Happened To TikTok?
TikTok users began noticing problems across TikTok, TikTok Studio, and CapCut beginning Sunday, Jan. 25, sparking online discussion about how the new “American TikTok” might operate.
Underperforming Reach
TikTok’s algorithm, long praised as the engine behind the platform’s appeal to creators and brands, appears to have shifted almost overnight, with reach dropping sharply for many accounts, often falling in the 0 to 1,000 view range. Max Levy, Progressive Digital Strategist, says he has seen posts from accounts he manages sit under review for hours, only to stall at single-digit views once approved.
Similarly, creators like America Gutierrez have experienced the same issues, noting that the changes are a major confidence killer. She explains, “Views aren’t just numbers; they are how creators get noticed by brands and secure partnerships.” The sudden overnight changes have been a major blow to creators who have spent years building communities on the platform, only to see their reach and work disappear without explanation.
Missing Analytics
Samantha Yehle, Head of Social at Nara and a creator who runs a TikTok account focused on social media news and insights, reported that one of her videos remained stuck at zero views despite accumulating likes. She also found that her analytics dashboards in both TikTok and TikTok Studio had been completely wiped.
Levy reported similar issues, noting that on-platform metrics have been inaccessible at worst and unreliable at best. He added that multiple posts had more likes than total views, an inconsistency that calls into question the integrity of the platform’s metrics. Other users have also reported posts showing more likes than views, an inconsistency that is effectively impossible under normal platform behavior.
TikTok’s New Terms Of Service
On Jan. 22, 2026, TikTok released updated Terms of Service for U.S. users, with in-app notifications appearing around Jan. 23, requiring acceptance to continue using the app. Concerns have emerged around TikTok’s updated terms of service, including expanded permission to collect geolocation data and changes to how user data is collected, used, and shared with advertisers.
Questionable Timing
For social leads like Yehle, the timing of these disruptions is especially concerning. The outages began just days after TikTok’s ownership changes in the U.S., sparking widespread discussion about how a new “American TikTok” might operate. Some fear the platform could become isolated in a U.S. bubble, fundamentally altering how creators and brands connect with global audiences. Glitches such as stalled For You feeds and missing data only add fuel to those theories.
TikTok has become a key source of real‑time information for many users, leaving creators and brands to question whether the recent issues are simply growing pains or something more intentional. As Levy notes, in today’s fraught political climate, communities across the country rely on platforms like TikTok to share on‑the‑ground updates, and the lack of transparency around outages and metric problems has only raised concerns about potential content suppression. He adds that without clearer communication, TikTok risks eroding trust among creators, advocates, and organizations that have invested significant time and budget into the platform.
Creators Are Fleeing To Other Social Media Platforms
As frustration mounts around TikTok’s reliability, some creators are deleting their accounts in retaliation and focusing on alternative platforms to host their content and communities. Although many creators anticipated this shift ahead of TikTok’s sale, recent events have made it clear that diversification is no longer optional.
Many creators, including Eddie Infante, have been preparing for a potential platform shift since last year’s brief TikTok ban, increasingly focusing on alternatives like YouTube. Infante says that while long-form content remains his foundation, he has seen significant momentum in YouTube Shorts, signaling where creator attention is moving. He adds that he is also exploring emerging platforms such as UpScrolled, which he describes as less restrictive and more creator-friendly, offering space to share content authentically without heavy algorithmic or corporate oversight.
Other creators, including Gabby Huffman, have shifted their focus to Instagram. Since the initial discussions of a potential shutdown, she has proactively moved her content there, noting that while driving users to other platforms may not have been the intended outcome, it has worked in her favor.
Hannah Stabler, founder of The Hive talent agency, says the ownership transition has introduced instability, pushing creators toward more dependable platforms like Instagram and YouTube Shorts. She adds that she is advising brand and agency partners to prioritize diversified, multi-platform strategies rather than relying on the viral upside of a single channel and notes that when centralized control limits creator freedom, the platform becomes less reliable for long-term brand-to-consumer connection.
Before You Go
While it remains uncertain what the new U.S. TikTok will look like, recent disruptions, including missing payouts, wiped analytics, and underperforming reach, have highlighted the platform’s fragility and the risks of relying on a single channel. For creators and brands, it is essential to diversify across platforms and focus on the channels where their audiences are most engaged to maintain reach, revenue, and long-term stability.
