TikTok’s welcome message greeted users as they returned to the platform
The creators are reeling from the clash of events, many questioning whether they were authentic or bogus.
On Saturday evening, around 7:40 PM PST / 10:40 PM EST, the app suddenly locked out users and displayed a message on the screen that read, “Sorry, TikTok is not available right now.” The message included details about the app working with President Donald Trump on a solution.
The message: “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to restore TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned.”
While most users predicted a ban due to mounting regulatory pressures, the sudden (and earlier than expected) shutdown seemed suspicious.
Alix Earle, a popular social media personality and one of TikTok’s fastest creators, took to Instagram to share a screen recording of her last moments on the app before it was shut down. She also shared a post on her page with the caption, “So I guess we’re staying here now?” capturing the sense of turmoil that many creatives were feeling.
The Return of TikTok: A Changed Platform?
By Sunday, many TikTok users woke up to find the app restored, but something was different. Creators noticed immediate changes — especially on the “About You” page, which seemed less tailored to their interests.
TV personality and influencer Bethenny Frankel took to TikTok on Monday night to express her skepticism about the algorithm changes. She noted, “Wait, I’m not getting any news. No Dior bags. No fires. No news. That’s what everyone’s worried about.”
Users shared similar experiences in the comments, noting that they had to manually search for content and watch multiple videos before their popular recommendations returned.
Spencer Pratt, a reality TV star and social media personality, experienced a surge in popularity after posting about the aftermath of the Palisades fire that destroyed his home in Los Angeles. Pratt gained over a million followers in just one week, symbolizing sustainability on the platform.
However, after restarting TikTok, its content was nowhere to be found; users flooded his comments 14 hours after the app returned with comments like, “I have to come find you. You’re not on my FYP anymore.”
A coincidence or a strategy? Meta notification time
An LA-based creator, Mia Parziale, expressed a similar concern on TikTok. While relieved that the app was back, she explained, “Something doesn’t feel right,” noting that she plans to focus more on other platforms.
Parziale also highlighted ongoing issues, such as TikTok Lives being blocked, CapCut offline, and specific videos and comments not appearing.
Further fueling concerns, Meta announced the upcoming launch of Edits, a new video creation and editing app designed to rival TikTok’s CapCut.
CapCut, a popular video editing app among creators, is in question, fueling rumors and speculation within the creator community about Meta’s intentions.
The timing of the announcement – on the same day that TikTok’s ban went into effect – raised further doubts about the platform’s stability and future, especially as creators look for credible alternatives.
Final Thoughts
The chaos of the weekend’s social media events left creators grappling with uncertainty. While TikTok’s return was a welcome relief, the alleged algorithm change, ongoing outages and increased competition from new video editing app Meta have left creators worried about the platform’s future.
As the platform faces mounting regulatory challenges, creators are wondering: Is TikTok’s reign as the social networking app in jeopardy, or is this just a temporary setback?
