Several thousand TikTok users across the United States faced service disruptions yesterday, as the popular social media platform experienced a significant outage. According to Downdetector, an online service that tracks real-time app problems, over 33,000 reports of outages were logged starting around 4 p.m. EST. The number of complaints peaked at more than 32,000 by 4:45 p.m., indicating a widespread impact.

The outage primarily affected the mobile app, with 82 percent of reports citing issues related to app functionality, and 16 percent indicating server connection problems. As of late afternoon, TikTok had not issued an official statement regarding the incident.

TikTok, launched by Chinese tech giant ByteDance in 2018, has grown rapidly to become one of the most popular social media platforms worldwide. By 2024, approximately 170 million Americans were reportedly active users, representing about one-third of the adult population in the country.

This service disruption comes at a time of increasing regulatory scrutiny. U.S. authorities have been focused on TikTok’s ownership and data privacy practices. Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a law requiring ByteDance to sell its U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban. President Donald Trump extended the deadline for a sale by an additional 75 days in an effort to broker a deal, though discussions have reportedly been halted amid broader tensions with China.

The ongoing regulatory challenges, coupled with the current outage, underscore the platform’s critical role in digital entertainment and its influence on online culture. As TikTok continues to navigate both technical issues and regulatory hurdles, users and observers alike remain attentive to its future developments.

In the meantime, TikTok users in the United States will be hoping for quick resolution and more stable access to their favorite short-form videos.