Megan Stalter, the comedian from Hacks, just pulled the plug on her TikTok. She posted on Instagram that the app’s new owners are censoring everything, especially anything critical of ICE. She tried uploading videos disguised as comedy bits, but they still got blocked. Frustrated, she told fans it’s time to delete the app altogether.
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She’s not alone in this. Plenty of influencers and everyday users have started ditching TikTok over similar complaints. Singer Gracie Abrams is one of the many making the move, as highlighted by Pop Base.
Videos slamming ICE raids or mentioning certain political topics keep getting suppressed or stuck in review. Some creators report zero views right after posting, even as the app blames a recent power outage at a US data center for the mess (as covered on our sister site PiunikaWeb).
The timing lines up with TikTok’s big ownership shift earlier this month. The platform formed a joint venture that’s now mostly American-owned to dodge a potential ban. Critics say that’s when the censorship ramped up. TikTok insists it’s just glitches, not deliberate blocking, but the backlash keeps growing. Uninstalls in the US jumped nearly 150% in recent days, according to a report from CNBC.
Rivals aren’t wasting any time. Rumble’s CEO Chris Pavlovski posted on X: “Delete TikTok, Download Rumble — where free speech is forever.” He’s hyping their new Shorts feature launching next week, clearly aiming to scoop up frustrated creators.
Over on Kick, the streaming site, head of studios Santamaria put out an open call. Any TikTok creator with 500,000 followers or more can DM for a partner deal and what he calls the best pay in live streaming. It’s a straight-up recruitment pitch amid the chaos.
Even Kim Dotcom jumped in, announcing he deleted his TikTok and switched to UpScrolled, a newer app gaining traction. He framed it as a protest against ownership and censorship. UpScrolled has popped up in other reports too — PiunikaWeb noted users fleeing TikTok’s privacy policy changes, which sparked fears about data collection on things like immigration status, and landing on alternatives like UpScrolled.
This whole TikTok exodus feels like a turning point. Creators worried about restrictions now have options promising fewer rules and better deals. Whether it’s Rumble pushing free speech, Kick offering fat payouts, or smaller apps like UpScrolled drawing in protesters, the competition is heating up fast.
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Dwayne Cubbins
1415 Posts
For nearly a decade, I've been deciphering the complexities of the tech world, with a particular passion for helping users navigate the ever-changing tech landscape. From crafting in-depth guides that unlock your phone's hidden potential to uncovering and explaining the latest bugs and glitches, I make sure you get the most out of your devices. And yes, you might occasionally find me ranting about some truly frustrating tech mishaps.
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