Skylight Hits 380K Users as TikTok Faces Migration Wave
Skylight, a short-form video platform built on open-source infrastructure, is seeing a rapid influx of new users. The startup reports its total user base has surpassed 380,000, fueled by a weekend of significant growth as many TikTok users seek alternatives following the finalization of the platform’s U.S. ownership transition.
The app, which launched last year with backing from investors including Mark Cuban, operates on the AT Protocol—the same decentralized technology that underpins the X competitor, Bluesky. This architectural choice allows for unique features, such as the ability to stream content directly from the Bluesky network.
A Shift in User Engagement
Co-founded by CEO Tori White and CTO Reed Harmeyer, Skylight provides core social features including a native video editor, community-curated feeds, and standard interaction tools like comments and likes. Recent platform metrics highlight the sudden uptick in activity:
- Video consumption: 1.4 million videos played in a single day, representing a 3x increase over 24 hours.
- User growth: Sign-ups surged by more than 150%.
- Retention and creation: Returning users increased by 50%, while total content posts grew by over 100%.
Currently, the platform hosts over 150,000 uploaded videos. According to White, the app added approximately 20,000 new users over the weekend alone, contributing to a monthly active user base that reached 95,000 in January.
The Backdrop of TikTok’s Transition
The exodus to alternative platforms follows the January 22 announcement of the TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC. This restructuring was mandated by a U.S. executive order, reducing ByteDance’s ownership stake to under 20%. While the move aimed to address national security concerns regarding data and algorithmic influence, it triggered a new wave of user apprehension.
Public discourse intensified after an updated privacy policy surfaced, detailing permissions for GPS tracking and references to immigration status—provisions that prompted some users to call for mass account deletion.
For the founders of Skylight, this environment validates their mission to prioritize decentralization. “We’ve seen what happens when one person dictates what’s pushed into people’s feeds,” White explained. “Not only does it harm a creator’s connection with their followers, but the entire health of the platform. That’s why we built Skylight Social on open standards. We wanted creator and user power to be guaranteed by the technology. Not an empty promise, but an irrevocable right.”
While Skylight remains significantly smaller than TikTok, which commands 200 million monthly active users in the U.S., its recent growth suggests a growing appetite for platforms that offer more transparency and user control.