HOLLYWOOD, CA—Amid a haze of glitter, sequins, and faint existential dread, TikTok’s most influential creators gathered Thursday night for the first-ever TikTok Awards show, just hours after news broke that the app’s U.S. future could soon be handed over to the nation with the highest ratio of social media to congressional hearings.

The ceremony, live-streamed on TikTok and, for the convenience of extremely confused grandparents, on Tubi, was overshadowed by creator anxiety that a U.S.-owned TikTok might come bundled with bewildering Terms of Service, three-hour wait times for video uploads, and intermittent patriotic ballads.

“I just want to dance in a crop top without wondering if a Senate subcommittee is grading me,” confessed 19-year-old influencer Brantley Guff, while accepting the award for Best Lip-Sync To A Song About Emotional Baggage. “Creators should never feel like their memes have to be pre-approved by Homeland Security.”

Backstage, newly crowned Viral Trend Architect Lila D’Mayonnaise expressed concern. “If America takes over, will I need to register my cat for every transition video? Will they start means-testing the For You page?”

TikTok executive Wes McGarnn tried to reassure attendees: “We’re confident the U.S. government can handle nuanced content moderation with the same deft touch as they do tax code. Creators have nothing to fear except perhaps a mandatory pledge of allegiance before every post.”

As the show ended, attendees were handed swag bags containing ring lights and pamphlets titled “So Your Content Is Under Congressional Review: A Guide.”