TikTok Recovers From Dip In Usage That Benefited Rival Apps Following US Ownership Change
TikTok rebounds to 90M+ daily U.S. users after brief dip post-ownership change. See why alternatives faltered.
Matilda
TikTok Recovers From Dip In Usage That Benefited Rival Apps Following US Ownership Change
TikTok Bounces Back After Ownership Shake-Up Yes, TikTok briefly lost millions of U.S. users after its ownership structure shifted to American investors—but the exodus lasted less than two weeks. Daily active users dipped from a steady 92 million to 86–88 million before rebounding past 90 million. Competing apps saw momentary spikes, but failed to retain defectors. The platform's resilience underscores a hard truth in social media: habit and community outweigh political anxiety for most users. Credit: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto / Getty Images Why Users Briefly Fled the Platform The dip coincided with headlines about TikTok's new U.S.-led ownership consortium taking operational control on January 24, 2026. While the move aimed to satisfy national security concerns, it triggered uncertainty. Some users deleted the app preemptively, fearing data privacy shifts or content moderation changes. Others joined a vocal minority migrating to alternatives as a protest gesture. The reaction wasn&…
