Ten Reasons Some Influencers Are Nervous About The New TikTok US App

The announcement of the TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC on January 22, 2026, marked a historic turning point for the creator economy. After years of legal uncertainty stemming from the 2024 Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, the platform has officially transitioned to a majority-American-owned entity.

Led by managing investors Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX, the new $14 billion venture allows TikTok to continue operating in the U.S. under a seven-member, majority-American board. 

While this deal has effectively "saved" the app from a total blackout, it has also introduced a wave of anxiety within the influencer community. Creators are now navigating a fundamental shift in how the platform operates, ranging from structural data changes to new governance. Here are the ten primary reasons influencers remain concerned about the new TikTok U.S. deal.

Algorithmic "Amnesia"

The most significant concern for creators is the mandate to retrain the recommendation algorithm on U.S. user data within Oracle’s cloud environment. Influencers rely on the "magic" of the original ByteDance algorithm to find their audiences; however, the new deal requires a technical "re-learning" phase. Many creators have reported immediate dips in engagement as the system adjusts to its new U.S.-isolated infrastructure.

The fear is that a domestic-only training set will lead to a more generic "For You" page, making it harder for niche or specialized creators to go viral. If the new U.S.-based algorithm cannot replicate the hyper-personalized experience of the original, the core value proposition of the app for influencers could be fundamentally diminished.

The Global Geofence

While the deal promises "global product interoperability," creators are worried about a "soft geofence" between U.S. and international content. With the U.S. entity now technically separate from ByteDance's global operations, influencers who have built massive followings in the UK, Europe, and Asia are concerned that their reach will be de-prioritized in foreign feeds.

The technical separation aimed at securing data may inadvertently prioritize domestic content for domestic users to satisfy regulatory audits. For influencers with global brand deals, any reduction in international visibility directly impacts their market value and their ability to command premium rates for cross-border campaigns, turning a global platform into a regionalized one.

Content Moderation and Political Neutrality

The transition of content moderation to the U.S.-led joint venture has sparked immediate concerns regarding censorship. Following the deal, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a review to determine if the platform’s new moderation practices violate state law, citing reports of suppressed content critical of the administration.

Creators are wary that the new board (composed of private equity leaders and national security experts) will prioritize political stability and regulatory compliance over the platform's history of free-flowing, often controversial expression. This shift has led to fears of "shadowbanning" for political or social commentary that may be deemed too sensitive for the new American owners.

Technical Instability and Outages

The first week of the new joint venture has been marred by significant technical issues. On January 27, 2026, Oracle confirmed that a weather-related power outage at a data center caused widespread disruptions for U.S. TikTok users. For influencers who rely on daily posting schedules and real-time interaction, these outages represent a direct threat to their livelihood.

While Oracle and TikTok are working to resolve these technical hiccups, the community is bracing for more "growing pains" as the massive task of migrating 170 million U.S. accounts to the new infrastructure continues. The reliability of the platform is now a major question mark for businesses that have built their marketing strategies around TikTok’s availability.

The 19.9% Legal Limbo

Despite the divestiture, ByteDance retains a 19.9% stake in the new entity. This specific percentage has become a point of contention among legal experts and creators alike. Some argue that this "residue ownership" does not meet the strict "complete severance" required by the 2024 law, leaving the platform vulnerable to future legal challenges or renewed ban threats.

Influencers are exhausted by the cycle of "save-and-threaten" legislation and are hesitant to fully commit their resources to a platform that might still face regulatory scrutiny later in 2026. The concern is that the current deal is a temporary political compromise rather than a permanent solution for the app’s long-term survival.

Commercial and E-commerce Friction

While the U.S. entity manages the data and algorithm, ByteDance reportedly continues to manage certain global commercial activities, including the back-end of TikTok Shop. This "split-brain" management style creates a complex environment for creators who have moved their entire business models to the app's e-commerce tools.

If the U.S.-controlled algorithm and the ByteDance-controlled checkout systems are not perfectly synchronized, influencers fear delayed payouts, broken affiliate links, and lower conversion rates. For "creator-preneurs," the operational relationship between the two entities is the most critical factor in their financial stability, and any friction in this partnership could lead to a massive loss in revenue.

Leadership and Corporate Culture Shift

The appointment of Adam Presser as CEO of the new U.S. venture, along with a board dominated by investors from Silver Lake and MGX, marks a shift away from the creator-centric culture of ByteDance. Influencers are concerned that the platform will become increasingly corporate and profit-driven, focusing more on shareholder returns than on the experimental features that originally drew creators to the app.

The loss of the "scrappy" startup energy that defined TikTok’s early growth is a major concern for those who feel that the platform's unique culture is its greatest asset. Creators fear the app will lose its soul in favor of a more "sanitized" corporate environment.

Data Privacy and Domestic Surveillance Fears

The move to secure data in Oracle’s U.S. cloud was meant to alleviate privacy concerns, but it has introduced new ones for the creator community. The updated privacy policy for TikTok USDS allows for the collection of more precise data to meet U.S. compliance standards. Some creators, especially those who deal with sensitive news or investigative content, are concerned about U.S. government access to their data via subpoenas or corporate partnerships.

The "security" promised by the deal is viewed by some as simply trading one form of surveillance for another, leading to a "wait-and-see" approach among influencers who prioritize privacy and source protection.

High-Profile Creator Exodus

The uncertainty has already led to a visible "brain drain" on the platform. High-profile news creators like Dylan Page (News Daddy) have announced temporary or permanent departures, citing increased censorship and a decline in reach. When top-tier creators leave, it creates a ripple effect, signaling to smaller influencers that the platform is no longer the "promised land."

This loss of community trust is difficult to rebuild. Influencers are watching their peers closely; if the exodus continues, the platform risks becoming a "ghost town" of brands and bots rather than authentic human creators. This can signal a lack of long-term confidence from the broader market, which influences brand partnerships and the willingness of advertisers to spend heavily on the platform compared to competitors like YouTube.

 Forced Platform Diversification

Perhaps the most lasting impact of the deal is the death of platform loyalty. The long-running "sell-or-ban" saga has proven to influencers that no platform is truly secure from geopolitical or legislative interference. As a result, there has been a massive push toward forced diversification.

Creators are aggressively migrating their audiences to YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels as a safety net. This "hedging of bets" means that TikTok no longer receives the exclusive, top-tier content it once enjoyed. The platform is now just one part of a multi-channel strategy, which dilutes the unique community and culture that made TikTok a dominant force in the first place.

Signed, Sealed and Scrolling Into the Unknown

The establishment of TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC on January 22, 2026, has provided the legal certainty necessary to keep the app on American phones, yet it has not yet won the hearts and minds of its most vital stakeholders: the creators. As the platform transitions into this new era of majority-American ownership (led by Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX) it faces a trial by fire. Under the leadership of CEO Adam Presser, the venture must prove it can maintain the app's addictive "magic" while retraining its proprietary algorithm on domestic data within Oracle’s secure cloud environment.

The first half of 2026 will be a watershed moment for the platform's cultural relevance. Influencers are already navigating a complex new landscape marked by a $14 billion valuation and a polarizing privacy policy that allows for precise geolocation tracking.

While creators are keeping their notifications on for now, they are simultaneously readying their export buttons and diversifying to YouTube Shorts and Reels. For a community that has survived a year of "on-again, off-again" ban threats, the new joint venture represents a fragile peace that could easily be shattered by the next technical glitch or political hurdle.