Entertainment

TikTok’s U.S. Ownership Raises Concerns for Creators at First TikTok Awards Show: ‘I Want People to Create Without Worrying About Being Punished’

December 21, 2025

Dec 21, 2025 6:52am PT TikTok’s U. S. Ownership Raises Concerns for Creators at First TikTok Awards Show: ‘I Want People to Create Without Worrying About Being Punished’ By Giana Levy Plus Icon Giana Levy Latest TikTok’s U. S. Ownership Raises Concerns for Creators at First TikTok Awards Show: ‘I Want People to Create Without Worrying About Being Punished’ 18 minutes ago Kate Winslet ‘Desperately Tried’ to Recast Herself in ‘Goodbye June’ Directorial Debut: ‘I Cannot Do Three Jobs’ 17 hours ago ‘House Guest’ Creator Scott Evans on How an At-Home Talk Show Evolved Into Something Profound: ‘What We’re Doing is Industry Shifting’ 2 days ago See All River Callaway/Variety The most influential content creators were celebrated on Thursday night for their impact and contributions to popular internet culture at the inaugural TikTok Awards, held at the Hollywood Palladium and live-streamed on the social media app as well as on Tubi.

Getty Images)

Credit: Merrick Hanna at the TikTok Awards 2025 held at Hollywood Palladium on December 18, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by River Callaway/Variety via

Key Highlights

Just hours before the start of the event, news broke that TikTok and ByteDance signed agreements with three managing investors – Oracle, Silverlake and MGX– to form a new TikTok U. S.
joint venture.
The agreement, which is set to close Jan.
22, 2026, would ensure that the popular social media platform will continue operating in the United States.
Related Stories T-Mobile Unwraps Major Holiday Promo, Including Unbeatable iPhone and Galaxy Deals and Trade-In Offers Best Video Game Gifts For Gamers in 2025 While this latest development is one step closer to preventing the app from being banned in the U. S., the uncertainty about how the app will change with its new investors was unsettling for many content creators at the awards ceremony.

News Just For Variety Events ByteDance Oracle Tiktok Awards

Sources

TikTok’s U.S. Ownership Raises Concerns for Creators at First TikTok Awards Show: ‘I Want People to Create Without Worrying About Being Punished’

This quick summary is automatically generated using AI based on reports from multiple news sources. The content has not been reviewed or verified by humans. For complete details, accuracy, and context, please refer to the original published articles.

TikTok’s U.S. Ownership Raises Concerns for Creators at First TikTok Awards Show: ‘I Want People to Create Without Worrying About Being Punished’

Key Highlights

Sources

Related Stories

ICG Publicists Awards Reveals 2026 Film Nominees – Full List

Led by Taylor Swift, U.S. Vinyl Sales Rose for 19th Consecutive Year in 2025: Luminate Year-End Report

Nikki Glaser Just Revealed The Golden Globes Joke That She Was Most Scared To Make — And Admitted She Wouldn’t Say It About A Woman Celebrity