After a tumultuous weekend dubbed the “TikTokalypse,” the US-specific version of the popular short-form video app appears to have largely stabilized. The new entity, TikTok USDS, faced a baptism of fire following a widespread outage that began early Sunday morning, casting a shadow over its nascent operations.
The Weekend of Disruption: A “Cascading Systems Failure”
The problems for TikTok US users commenced on Sunday, January 25, 2026, with many reporting an inability to publish new content or even view existing videos. This widespread disruption persisted for nearly three days, leaving creators and viewers alike in limbo. TikTok USDS, the new operators assigned by the Trump administration, later attributed the outage to a power failure at an unnamed US data center, which subsequently triggered a “cascading systems failure.”
By Tuesday morning, reports from users and journalists, including Richard Lawler of The Verge, confirmed a significant return to functionality. Lawler successfully posted a new video and viewed content from a UK colleague, indicating a crucial step towards recovery. However, some lingering issues were noted, such as difficulties loading newly created UK accounts and other profiles.
TikTok USDS: Progress Amidst Persistent Bugs
In an official statement, TikTok USDS acknowledged the challenges, stating, “We’ve made significant progress in recovering our U.S. infrastructure with our U.S. data center partner. However, the U.S. user experience may still have some technical issues, including when posting new content. We’re committed to bringing TikTok back to its full capacity as soon as possible. We’ll continue to provide updates. Thanks for your patience.”
This statement underscores the ongoing efforts to restore full service while managing user expectations regarding potential residual bugs, particularly concerning content uploads.
Beyond the Glitch: Rumors, Censorship, and User Exodus
The outage, however, was more than just a technical hiccup; it ignited a flurry of speculation and concern among the user base. With the recent US takeover, theories quickly proliferated regarding potential changes to TikTok’s terms of service, the objectives of its new owners, and the possibility of algorithm manipulation. Whispers of censorship also emerged, with specific concerns raised about topics such as ICE’s actions in Minneapolis and the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
In response to the uncertainty and technical issues, a segment of the TikTok community voiced intentions to abandon the platform, with some actively deleting their accounts. Alternative platforms, such as UpScrolled, were suggested as new digital homes for migrating TikTokers.
While the exact nature of any behind-the-scenes changes remains opaque without extensive analysis, the app’s return to operational status, “brainrot videos and all,” suggests a fragile normalcy. The incident highlights the complex interplay between technology, policy, and public perception in the ever-evolving landscape of social media.
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