US ownership of TikTok off to a rocky start as outage continues into second day
(2026/01/26)
- Reference: 1769459688
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2026/01/26/tiktok_outage_datacenter_power/
- Source link:
TikTok's new life under majority American ownership is off to a rough start, after users complained of widespread service disruptions the company blamed on a datacenter power outage.
Users began reporting problems with TikTok's app and website on Sunday. Many took to [1]Reddit to say that they couldn't post and were unable to access their feeds, and when they could, they were finding [2]garbage and [3]unusual posts . Others posted that view counts were [4]stuck at zero, suggesting something was definitely wrong days after a new majority American-owned joint venture [5]was set up to operate key parts of TikTok's US business, following months of [6]wrangling to get it out of Chinese hands.
The TikTok USDS (US Data Security) Joint Venture - the entity backed by Trump ally [7]Larry Ellison's Oracle, private equity firm Silver Lake, and Emirati-backed investment firm MGX, with ByteDance retaining a minority stake - took to X on Monday to [8]explain the issues as resulting from a power outage at a US datacenter.
[9]
"Since yesterday we've been working to restore our services following a power outage at a U.S. data center impacting TikTok and other apps we operate," the Joint Venture said. "We're working with our data center partner to stabilize our service. We're sorry for this disruption and hope to resolve it soon."
[10]
The TikTok USDS Joint Venture confirmed the issue to The Register , explaining that the outage is impacting TikTok for US users, although we note that other self-reported TikTok users outside the US said on Reddit that the issue is also affecting them. The new owners are still working to stabilize the service.
It would make sense that the company is experiencing a widespread outage, given the [11]massive winter storm that barreled across much of the US over the weekend. We asked the Joint Venture if the storm and service outage were related multiple times, but a spokesperson didn't answer the question.
[12]As Oracle loses interest in MySQL, devs mull future options
[13]Oracle gets to store US users' TikTok data, says Trump
[14]Even fantasy money can buy a lot of power – just ask Larry Ellison
[15]House GOP wants final say on AI chip exports after Trump gives Nvidia a China hall pass
Some TikTok users noted the outage coincided with the federal agents' fatal shooting of a second American citizen in Minneapolis - this time [16]Alex Pretti - and speculated that it was an attempt to restrict the flow of information about the incident. A TikTok USDS Joint Venture spokesperson told us that TikTok content [17]guidelines haven't changed since the majority American-owned joint venture was established. ®
Get our [18]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/TikTok/
[2] https://www.reddit.com/r/TikTok/comments/1qmstmw/fyp_sucks_now/
[3] https://www.reddit.com/r/TikTok/comments/1qnndia/what_is_up_with_the_may_like_section_of_tiktok/
[4] https://www.reddit.com/r/TikTok/comments/1qnnp1b/is_tiktok_still_broken_today/
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/23/jv_announces_tiktok_us_acquisition/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/18/trump_extends_tiktok_reprieve_again/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/12/larry_ellison_wants_all_data/
[8] https://x.com/tiktokusdsjv/status/2015807214871535741
[9] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offprem/saas&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aXfyH6y3IhlD6cYrxJ6RTQAAAtA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offprem/saas&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aXfyH6y3IhlD6cYrxJ6RTQAAAtA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/power-outages-roadways-snarled-ice-dangerous-weather-winter-storm/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/23/mysql_post_oracle/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/23/oracle_gets_to_store_us/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/15/oracle_spending_shares_opinion/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/21/house_gop_ai_chip_exports_trump_china_nvidia/
[16] https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/minute-minute-timeline-fatal-shooting-alex-pretti-federal/story?id=129547199
[17] https://www.tiktok.com/community-guidelines/en
[18] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Users began reporting problems with TikTok's app and website on Sunday. Many took to [1]Reddit to say that they couldn't post and were unable to access their feeds, and when they could, they were finding [2]garbage and [3]unusual posts . Others posted that view counts were [4]stuck at zero, suggesting something was definitely wrong days after a new majority American-owned joint venture [5]was set up to operate key parts of TikTok's US business, following months of [6]wrangling to get it out of Chinese hands.
The TikTok USDS (US Data Security) Joint Venture - the entity backed by Trump ally [7]Larry Ellison's Oracle, private equity firm Silver Lake, and Emirati-backed investment firm MGX, with ByteDance retaining a minority stake - took to X on Monday to [8]explain the issues as resulting from a power outage at a US datacenter.
[9]
"Since yesterday we've been working to restore our services following a power outage at a U.S. data center impacting TikTok and other apps we operate," the Joint Venture said. "We're working with our data center partner to stabilize our service. We're sorry for this disruption and hope to resolve it soon."
[10]
The TikTok USDS Joint Venture confirmed the issue to The Register , explaining that the outage is impacting TikTok for US users, although we note that other self-reported TikTok users outside the US said on Reddit that the issue is also affecting them. The new owners are still working to stabilize the service.
It would make sense that the company is experiencing a widespread outage, given the [11]massive winter storm that barreled across much of the US over the weekend. We asked the Joint Venture if the storm and service outage were related multiple times, but a spokesperson didn't answer the question.
[12]As Oracle loses interest in MySQL, devs mull future options
[13]Oracle gets to store US users' TikTok data, says Trump
[14]Even fantasy money can buy a lot of power – just ask Larry Ellison
[15]House GOP wants final say on AI chip exports after Trump gives Nvidia a China hall pass
Some TikTok users noted the outage coincided with the federal agents' fatal shooting of a second American citizen in Minneapolis - this time [16]Alex Pretti - and speculated that it was an attempt to restrict the flow of information about the incident. A TikTok USDS Joint Venture spokesperson told us that TikTok content [17]guidelines haven't changed since the majority American-owned joint venture was established. ®
Get our [18]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/TikTok/
[2] https://www.reddit.com/r/TikTok/comments/1qmstmw/fyp_sucks_now/
[3] https://www.reddit.com/r/TikTok/comments/1qnndia/what_is_up_with_the_may_like_section_of_tiktok/
[4] https://www.reddit.com/r/TikTok/comments/1qnnp1b/is_tiktok_still_broken_today/
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/23/jv_announces_tiktok_us_acquisition/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/18/trump_extends_tiktok_reprieve_again/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/12/larry_ellison_wants_all_data/
[8] https://x.com/tiktokusdsjv/status/2015807214871535741
[9] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offprem/saas&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aXfyH6y3IhlD6cYrxJ6RTQAAAtA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offprem/saas&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aXfyH6y3IhlD6cYrxJ6RTQAAAtA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/power-outages-roadways-snarled-ice-dangerous-weather-winter-storm/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/23/mysql_post_oracle/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/23/oracle_gets_to_store_us/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/15/oracle_spending_shares_opinion/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/21/house_gop_ai_chip_exports_trump_china_nvidia/
[16] https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/minute-minute-timeline-fatal-shooting-alex-pretti-federal/story?id=129547199
[17] https://www.tiktok.com/community-guidelines/en
[18] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: When will the censorship start?
Roland6
Looks like it already has.. “datacentre outage” no need for a presidential decree…
Re: When will the censorship start?
Anonymous Coward
There's a reason it's called ThickTock
Data Centre
elsergiovolador
A building with computers connected to internet that suffers power outage is not a data centre.
It's a building with computers connected to internet.
Anonymous Coward
Oh. Dear. How. Sad. Never. Mind
elaar
"and when they could, they were finding garbage and unusual posts."
Sounds like it's running normally to me.
Is this not the norm ?
PCScreenOnly
they were finding garbage and unusual posts.
Have they changed the T&C's yet ?
Anonymous Coward
All user content is owned by us.
We can therefore take it down, modify it or just sell it, whenever we like.
They could try outsourcing
that one in the corner
I understand there is a company in China with a track record for providing this sort of service.
When will the censorship start?
Anything that does not agree with the 'American' world view?