After the Trump Verdict, the TikTok Trial Began

After the conviction of Donald J. Trump on all 34 felony counts in a hush-money trial in a New York court, TikTok users turned to the platform’s livestreaming feature to discuss the verdict.

For hours, late into the night on Thursday and into Friday morning, thousands of people around the world watched these streams and heard from armchair experts, political commentators, lawyers and even Michael D. Cohen.

Mr. Cohen, the key witness in the criminal case against his former boss, Mr. Trump, had already been using the platform throughout the trial to talk to the masses. (Earlier this month, Justice Juan M. Merchan told prosecutors to inform Mr. Cohen that he was “to refrain from making any more statements about this case.”)

On Thursday night, Mr. Cohen took a victory lap on a TikTok livestream where many social media users praised him for his testimony and sent blue hearts. He also invited other users to join his stream and talk with him directly.

“To put it lightly I’m a fan — that’s kind of weird,” one user told Mr. Cohen. “I think you did a very solid service to America.”

Not everyone was so positive. Another user brought onto the livestream was frustrated with the outcome of the trial and asked Mr. Cohen why he thought the jury had sided with the prosecution.