Gen Z has a love-hate relationship with TikTok. The app is undeniably popular, especially among young people, and it's been at the forefront of trendsetting in the past few years. At the same time, TikTok isn't immune to criticism - whether it be about how the app has shortened attention spans or concerns about national security. And now, as many TikTok users find themselves considering leaving the app in 2026 - I find myself feeling justified.
Former quarterback Tom Brady was seen this past Sunday participating in the layperson's elite Sunday activity: rotting in various locations around the house and posting. "So this is what you do on a Sunday," Brady wrote in the first of two selfies, including some 100 emojis and inexplicably adding The Killers "Mr. Brightside" as a soundtrack. The next post, which he later deleted, was another cuddly selfie that wouldn't be out of place on a college girl's Snapchat circa 2014
According to estimates from digital market intelligence firm Similarweb, TikTok saw usage dip into the range of 86-88 million daily active users in the U.S. immediately after the ownership change. That compares with a typical average of 92 million daily active users. The app has bounced back to more than 90 million daily active users, indicating that many who left TikTok have since returned.
Many TikTok users across the US say they're rethinking their relationship with the platform since its ownership and terms and conditions have recently changed, with some citing censorship and lack of trust as reasons why they're removing themselves from the app. Keara Sullivan, a 26-year-old comedian, says TikTok jumpstarted her career and provided a pathway to getting a manager and a literary agent.
I remember adults coming up to me and saying, 'Ohhh, Medeiros! Like Glenn Medeiros, the guy who sang that love song!' And then they start singing it in front of me," Lyric tells TODAY.com. "Older women would come up to me and say, 'Oh, he was a heartthrob!'
Raines' life made an immeasurable impact, Beauty 2 The Streetz wrote on social media. Through her tireless advocacy, deep compassion, and unwavering commitment, she used her powerful media platform to amplify the voices of those in need and to bring dignity, resources, and hope to some of the most underserved populations, the organization said. Raines' cause of death was not released, but the organization said it would share additional information when it is available.
That consent popup you clicked through on TikTok last week? It just unlocked precise GPS tracking that makes your old location data look like finger painting compared to a surveillance satellite. TikTok's updated U.S. privacy policy now permits collection of exact geolocation data -down to Wi-Fi hotspot precision-expanding far beyond the approximate IP address methods that previously kept your movements relatively fuzzy.
TikTok is moving to settle a lawsuit with a woman who alleged that the company and other social media giants designed their platforms to addict young users, the first such case to go to trial. A lawyer for the woman confirmed that an agreement in principle had been reached hours before jury selection started in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The woman's similar claims against Meta Platforms Inc.'s Facebook and Instagram and Google's YouTube will proceed as planned for now.
'Travel inspiration used to be aspirational. Today, it's practical. 'People aren't just seeing where to go on TikTok, they're seeing exactly how to get there, what it costs and how smooth the journey really is. 'That visibility builds confidence, particularly for solo travellers and first-time long-haul trips. 'When someone watches a real person navigate an airport or a destination successfully, the mindset shift is simple: if they can do it, so can I.'
The video posted Monday on TikTok showed Cruz, his girlfriend Jackie Apostel, older brother Romeo and Romeo's girlfriend Kim Turnbull seeming to mock the family drama by mouthing along to the instrumental opening of "On The Block," a 2021 song by Lil Maru. The caption on the video read simply, "Imagine hating and we're just here like." Cruz's video wasn't loading on TikTok at publication time, but you can see what was going on via an X share from user @LucyLuMerrygold.
TikTok's new US joint venture has made changes to its privacy policy that include expanding the type of location data the company can collect from its 200 million American users. The new policy was published after investors closed a deal with TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance on Thursday to run the popular short-form video app's business in the US. The new joint venture said in its updated privacy terms that it may now "collect precise location data, depending on your settings"
On TikTok, a wave of recent videos under the "bankruptcy" hashtag shows young people framing their personal bankruptcy filings as life-changing wins, drawing hundreds of thousands of views. In clips viewed by Business Insider, individuals touted their bankruptcy filings as the "greatest" and "best" decision they've ever made, saying it allowed them to wipe out massive amounts of debt - sometimes tens of thousands of dollars - in just a few months.
I first encountered the Freecash app after clicking on a sponsored TikTok video with dubious claims. The advertisement didn't promote this app by name, rather it showed a young woman expressing her excitement about seemingly getting hired by TikTok at $35 an hour to watch videos on her "For You" page. When I tapped the link to "order now," it sent me to a website with TikTok and Freecash logos, featuring a download link for the Freecash app.
The US TikTok saga began when Trump, during his first term, vowed to ban the app. It ramped up in 2024 when then-President Joe Biden signed a law requiring that the US version of the app be spun off from its parent company, ByteDance, or be banned in the United States. During his second term, Trump has repeatedly delayed enforcement of the law as he sought a deal to transfer control of the app's US operations to American ownership.
