American Users Ditch TikTok US Over Privacy, Censorship Fears
American Users Ditch TikTok US Over Privacy, Censorship Fears
https://www.asiafinancial.com/american-users-ditch-tiktok-us-over-privacy-censorship-fears
Publish Date: 2026-01-27 11:45:00
Source Domain: www.asiafinancial.com
American users of the newly incorporated TikTok US are quickly deleting the app days after a deal spinning it off from its Chinese owners, with many citing concerns about censorship, privacy, and changes to its algorithm.
Over the last five days, the daily average number of US users uninstalling TikTok jumped by almost 150% as compared to the last three months, CNBC reported citing data from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower.
CNBC reported that many users had expressed concern about the language of the app’s updated privacy policy, which said TikTok will collect data such as “your racial or ethnic origin” as well as “sexual life or sexual orientation, status as transgender or nonbinary, citizenship or immigration status, or financial information.”
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That language is not new, however, CNBC reported, adding that similar policies existed as far back as in 2024.
But behind the increasing scepticism of the app’s American users have been a range of issues that started almost as soon as TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, sealed a deal last week to establish a majority American-owned joint venture.
The agreement provided for American and global investors to hold 80.1% of the venture with ByteDance’s ownership reduced to 19.9%.
The move was a result of years of concern from China hawks about Beijing’s access to data from the app’s 200 million American users. TikTok previously denied Beijing had access to that data.
Censorship fears
Following the handover, however, users started suspecting heavy censorship on the app. Some users said they could no longer upload videos criticising raids by the US’ anti-immigration ICE agents. Users said their videos simply wouldn’t upload to the app, especially over the weekend amid surging uproar over ICE activities that involved the killing of an American nurse.
Some other users said they were unable to…
