TikTok Struggles to Restore US Infrastructure After Outage

TikTok is currently working to stabilize its U.S. infrastructure following a major data center power outage that disrupted platform services shortly after the company finalized its deal to form a new U.S. entity.

Ongoing Technical Disruptions

Users across the United States have reported widespread difficulties with the app, including search failures, inability to watch videos, posting errors, and erratic behavior within the “For You” algorithm. The issues, which began late last week, have persisted despite initial efforts to restore functionality.

On Monday, the company attributed these technical glitches to a power outage at a data center that serves TikTok and other applications.

Recovery Status and User Experience

A recent update from the TikTok USDS Joint Venture confirmed that while progress has been made, the platform is not yet operating at full capacity.

“We’ve made significant progress in recovering our U.S. infrastructure with our U.S. data center partner,” the company stated. “However, the U.S. user experience may still have some technical issues, including when posting new content. We’re committed to bringing TikTok back to its full capacity as soon as possible.”

External Factors and User Skepticism

While TikTok has not identified its specific data center partner, the U.S. has been grappling with a severe winter storm that has impacted approximately 220 million Americans. The timing of the outage, however, has fueled speculation among users, particularly as it coincides with rising civil unrest following the death of Alex Pretti at the hands of ICE agents.

Data Integrity Concerns

In a prior statement, the company warned that users might encounter “multiple bugs, slower load times, or timed-out requests.” Creators have specifically reported seeing zero views or likes on content, as well as missing earnings data, which the company attributes to server timeouts rather than data loss.

“Your actual data and engagement are safe,” the company assured its user base.