Everybody is leaving Tik Tok.

 

Recent reports indicate significant turmoil for TikTok following its ownership restructuring (a $14 billion deal with Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX as of January 2026). The platform is experiencing user anxiety, high-profile deletions, and, according to some reports, a rise in user departures and technical issues.

 

Here are the key factors contributing to the decline in user engagement and user base post-sale:

• App Deletions and User Migration: Following the finalized U.S. ownership deal in January 2026, there are reports that user deletions of the app have risen by 150%. Many users left due to concerns about the change in ownership and potential content censorship.
• Technical Failures and Instability: In the first week of American ownership, users experienced widespread technical issues, including, in some cases, the platform mistakenly refunding all customers and wiping out sales data for sellers.
• Algorithm Anxiety: There is significant concern among creators and staff that retraining the recommendation algorithm under new ownership will destroy the "For You" page's effectiveness.
• Declining Organic Reach: Many users and creators have reported a sharp decline in views and organic reach, with some suspecting a "shadowban" or algorithm changes designed to push paid advertisements over organic content.
• Content Fatigue and "TikTok Shop" Overload: The push toward heavy TikTok Shop monetization has led to user frustration. Sellers have reported a 44% drop in sales and a 20% drop in visitors, with some, such as the "ttv_vegan_chef," losing hundreds of thousands of followers.
• Content Loss (Universal Music Group Dispute): The removal of the Universal Music Group catalog, including artists like Taylor Swift, has significantly impacted the platform's audio landscape, leading to further user frustration.
• Despite these issues, TikTok remains a major, popular, and high-engagement app, with some reports noting that early user angst over new features (like TikTok Shop) tends to die down over time.