The messy truth about TikToks Trump-aligned takeover

Published: Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 4:15 pm

TikTok's Transition: A Rocky Start Under New Ownership

Just over a week ago, TikTok in the United States transitioned to new ownership, and the change has been marked by a series of issues. The app, previously owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, was sold to a group of mostly American investors. This group includes Oracle, led by a Trump ally, MGX, an Abu Dhabi-based company, and the private equity firm Silver Lake.

Since the new owners took control, users have reported a range of problems. These include significant outages and malfunctions, raising concerns about the app's stability. There have also been claims of censorship, with some users reporting that their videos were not receiving views or failing to upload properly. Additionally, the updated terms of service have sparked controversy, particularly regarding the collection of more precise location data and the permission to gather data related to AI functionalities.

Experts suggest that many of these issues may be attributed to technical difficulties rather than intentional censorship. A major data center outage, reportedly due to a weather-related issue, is believed to be a primary cause of some of the reported problems. The new terms of service, while raising concerns, are not entirely new, with similar data collection practices already in place.

One of the key aspects of the ownership change is the separation of TikTok's algorithm from Chinese control. The new owners are tasked with retraining, testing, and updating the algorithm, a process that is expected to alter the user experience.

BNN's Perspective:

The transition of TikTok to new ownership highlights the complexities of social media platforms and the challenges of ensuring a smooth handover. While initial technical difficulties are understandable, the new owners must address user concerns about censorship and data privacy to maintain trust and ensure the app's continued success. Transparency and clear communication about the changes to the algorithm will be crucial in navigating this transition.

Keywords: TikTok, ownership, censorship, outages, terms of service, algorithm, Oracle, data privacy, social media, ByteDance, MGX, Silver Lake

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