In the wake of TikTok's "Americanization," the open TikTok alternative "Skylight" surpasses 380,000 users.

In the wake of TikTok's "Americanization," the open TikTok alternative "Skylight" surpasses 380,000 users.

TikTok's "Americanization" was supposed to mark a turning point. However, what actually happened was not a sense of "now we can use it safely," but rather an amplification of the feeling that "the only thing that changed was who holds the reins, and the anxiety has actually increased."


In late January 2026, it was reported that TikTok had established a new U.S.-centric framework for continued operations in the United States. ByteDance's stake would be reduced to less than 20%, while Oracle and Silver Lake would be involved, and "safety measures" including the handling of algorithms were to be implemented.

 
However, user sentiment cannot be neatly categorized as simply "from China to the U.S." Political atmosphere, concerns over data protection, and a series of "untimely events" combined to shake trust in TikTok.


As a receptacle for this unease, the short-form vertical video app "Skylight" has rapidly emerged. Over the weekend, its user base surpassed 380,000 and continues to grow. Moreover, it's not just a simple increase in registrations. The simultaneous surge in total video uploads, views, posts, and return rates has marked this phenomenon as a movement akin to "migration."


1) Why Skylight is Growing Now: The Trigger is "Chain of Distrust" Rather Than "Ownership"

The rapid rise of Skylight cannot be explained merely by "dislike for TikTok." What is crucial is that multiple sources of anxiety coincided "in the same week."


First, the symbolic issue was the commotion over the privacy policy update. With the transition to the new U.S. framework, discussions prominently featured the handling of location data. From the user's perspective, there was an intuitive fear of "will they collect even more detailed data than before?" Additionally, the handling of information, including interactions with AI features (such as prompts), became a topic of discussion, and the "text of the terms," which is usually not read, became fuel for dissemination on social media.


Furthermore, the excerpted wording regarding "tracking immigration status" caught fire, amplifying fears, including misunderstandings. However, this has been clarified as an illustration of "sensitive information" for compliance with state laws, rather than the addition of new collection items. Nevertheless, even if the explanation is correct, it does not eliminate the perceived anxiety.


Adding to this was the data center outage and dysfunction. The timing of issues with search, posting, commenting, and recommendation behavior coincided with the transition. Officially attributed to technical factors like power outages, suspicions that "politically inconvenient posts were suppressed" erupted on social media, ultimately reinforcing the impression of a "non-transparent platform."


Thus, a flow of "change in ownership structure" → "update of terms" → "outage" → "suspicions and distrust" was established. For users, it becomes rational to distance themselves from the "creepiness" before scrutinizing the truth. What becomes necessary then is an "alternative place."


2) What is Skylight: Not a TikTok Clone, but a Different "Escape Route" Design

While Skylight appears TikTok-like with its vertical short-form videos, its core philosophy is based on an "open foundation." Operating on the AT Protocol adopted by platforms like Bluesky, it aims to provide an "escape route" against platform-driven sudden deaths (such as changes in terms, political pressure, acquisitions, bans, etc.) by emphasizing open-source technology.


Functionally, it features built-in video editing, profiles, likes, comments, and sharing, with the added characteristic that community curators can create "custom feeds." In essence, it increases "human-selected entry points" rather than relying solely on algorithms, allowing for multiple feeds.


The numbers also support its momentum. Over 150,000 videos have been directly uploaded, and posts report that video views reached 1.4 million on a given day. Sign-ups have increased by over 150%, with more returning users and doubled posts—indicating that both creators and viewers are actively participating, not just "visiting."


Furthermore, the fact that Skylight is backed by investor Mark Cuban adds to its appeal and trust. In the era of social media, "who is leading" directly impacts the spread, not just "what technology is being used."


3) SNS Reactions: Expectations, Welcomes, and Irony Run Simultaneously

(A) The "Want to Leave TikTok" Group: Reasons for Migration are Not Just Privacy

In a nutshell, the sentiment on social media has shifted from "afraid of China" to "afraid in the U.S. as well." The change in ownership has not necessarily made it safer; instead, fears that "the feed might change according to the new power holders' preferences" have come to the forefront.

In Reddit discussions, there's a mix of resignation and desire to move, with comments like "propaganda and surveillance exist no matter who holds it" and "if that's the case, let's go elsewhere." Political expressions tend to be extreme, but at the root is a rejection of the "feeling of being controlled."


Moreover, the spread of the immigration status wording became an emotional trigger, with reactions like "it's impossible just because it's written there," regardless of understanding the content. Even after being explained as an "illustration for state law compliance," the flames of controversy do not necessarily die down.


(B) The "Welcome to Skylight" Group: Open Equals Freedom, a Hopeful Outlook

The reaction from the Skylight side first appeared as a "celebration." Posts from the management and development side shared specific numbers on the surge in views and new registrations, further accelerating the momentum.

 
The founders' messages also worked to lower the psychological barriers to migration, with tones like "welcome new users" and "towards Open Social."


What is important here is the possibility that Skylight may not just be a "receptacle for anger." The design philosophy of open protocols and custom feeds is not just a temporary refuge but an attempt to provide "reasons to stay longer." At least as a message, it serves as an antithesis to a "world where feeds are broken by the whims of power holders."


(C) The Skeptics: "The Magic of TikTok" Cannot Be Recreated by Foundation Alone

On the other hand, there are naturally calm criticisms. "The addictive nature of TikTok" is established by the combination of sophisticated recommendations and a vast creative market. While being open is attractive, without simultaneously solving the design of discovery, moderation, and monetization, the enthusiasm will not last long.


This skepticism is also healthy. "Migration" in social media often has strong "reasons to leave" but weak "reasons to stay." Skylight has, by chance, gained a large influx this time. The challenge from here is whether it can turn initial users into "habitual" ones and whether creators feel they can "earn and grow here."


4) What Will Happen Next: User Dispersion Will Be Linked to "Political Events"

What this incident has shown is that the migration of social media populations has entered an era where it occurs due to "external shocks" such as politics, terms, and outages, rather than "new features" or "interesting content." While TikTok is rolling out its new U.S. framework, it is also busy dealing with outages and regaining trust.

 
In the meantime, alternative apps like Skylight have room to grow from "refuges" to "second homes."

For creators, this is also a sign of risk diversification. Dependence on a single platform can shake revenue and relationships the moment ownership structures, terms, or algorithms change. Therefore, having an account in a place that advocates open standards and sending up trial balloons increases in value.


Of course, whether Skylight will become the next "dominant player" is another matter. However, at the very least, the state of "no alternatives" diminishes with each TikTok controversy. When users feel anger or anxiety, they are more likely to choose "migration" rather than deletion. And those destinations will be dispersed not only among large centralized social networks but also among small apps on open protocols.


Skylight's 380,000 users indicate a "direction" more than just a number. The next battlefield for short-form videos is shifting from UI and editing features to more fundamental design philosophies like "who sets the rules" and "how fixed those rules can be."


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