TikTok ban in USA – How to bypass censorship and access TikTok in USA
TikTok has grown quite popular over the lockdown period, with millions of new users joining the fun on the social media platform. Things have however been not so easy for DyteDance, the Chinese company that owns the app.
Citing concerns over user data, President Trump gave the company 90 days to find an American buyer for social media platform in August. If not? TikTok will face a ban in the USA, a fate that it has already encountered in India – it’s the largest market before the ban.
The days are counting and although TikTok has filed a lawsuit challenging the looming ban, users in the USA, really don’t know what to expect. At the moment it only makes sense to be prepared for any eventuality. This guide shows how you can circumvent TikTok ban in the USA using a VPN.
How would the TikTok ban work in the USA?
At the moment, it’s not clear how the USA plans to implement the possible ban, but chances are it will follow similar measures to the Indian Government.
Once the ban has been put in place, all official app stores such as Google Play Store and Apple App Store would be required to remove the app from the American market. This means that any user who had not installed the app would not be able to do so, and existing users would not be able to upgrade to newer versions.
On top that, ISPs would then be ordered to block access to TikTok servers, meaning that you can’t access and share content using an American IP address. This has already happened in India, but users can still access the app using a VPN.
How can I keep using TikTok after be banned in USA
The first thing you would need to use TikTok after the ban is of course the app itself. Installing it after the ban will however require some extra steps, and we’ll look at that later. From there, you will then need to connect your VPN.
A VPN works by first encrypting user traffic and then securely tunneling it to a server in a location of the user’s choice. This server then spoofs the user’s IP address and provides them with access to the internet using the server’s IP address. This means that when you connect to the internet, you will appear to be from the location of the server.
To access TikTok in the US, you would therefore need to connect to a VPN server that is outside the country. Your VPN will then give you a new IP address, and you’ll be able to access TikTok in the US, as you were in the chosen country.
However, not all VPNs are reliable as the available products vary in terms of:
- Speed
- Privacy
- Security
- Size of the server network
- Extra capabilities, e.g. unlocking streaming services
This means that out of the hundreds of VPNs available, you need to choose one that will not only offer you access to TikTok but also provide you with added advantages and capabilities.
The VPN I recommend
Thankfully, we have done the hard part for you. From time to time, we usually test, review, and compare the best VPN services in the market. We then categorize each of these VPNs depending on what they are best for.
To unblock TikTok in USA and other blocked countries such as India, Isuggest that you go with Surfshark.
This is because the VPN offers the following:
- Superb Speeds: Surfshark uses high-speed servers that guarantee a smooth online experience
- Nearby Servers: The VPN has a huge server network, and some of these servers are in nearby countries such as Canada and Mexico. This ensures and fast and stable connection.
- Excellent Privacy: Surfshark doesn’t keep any activity logs, and so your activities can’t be submitted to authorities even when subpoenaed.
- Top-notch Security: Surfshark uses AES 256-bit encryption and provides multiple protocols alongside other security features such as a kill switch and DNS & IPv6 protection.
- 100% Money-Back Guarantee: In case you do not like the service, you can get every penny back if you cancel within 30 days!
On top of that, we have partnered with Surfshark and we are currently offering 82% off the VPN. You can take advantage of this exclusive offer below.
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To create an account on Surfshark, you will only require your email address and a payment method.
From there:
- Install the VPN app on each device you wish to use
- Log into the VPN app with your user details
- Select a region for your server location (outside the US)
- Access TikTok as usual
How to Install TikTok after the ban
The above method is sure to help access TikTok in the US, and it already works for users in India. However, the method only applies to users who already have the TikTok app installed on their phones or those that just want to view content using their browser.
To install TikTok after the ban, below are the specific procedures.
Install TikTok on Android
Installing TikTok on Android is quite easy as you don’t really need the Google Play Store for that. All you need to do is download the apk file from a reliable third-party source, such as APKPure.com .
From there, you just need to tap on the file and it will start installing. But before you do that, you need to ensure that you have already enabled the “apps from other sources” option under security settings.
Once installed, you will then need to start your Surfshark app and connect it to a server outside the USA. You can then sign in and enjoy TikTok as usual!
Here’s another trick you can also try:
- Connect your Surfshark app to a server outside the US
- Go to Google Play Store and choose a new email address (account). Preferably, you should not have used that email on Play Store in the recent past. Otherwise, you can also try clearing the Playstore cache.
- Check if Play Store has changed countries depending on your IP address
- Download and install TikTok. Leave your Surfshark app connected.
Note that for the last method, you will need to have the extra email address signed in on your device (Google Account).
Best VPN for TikTok
Install TikTok on iOS
It also possible to install TikTok on your iPhone or iPad after the possible ban, and you don’t even need to ‘jailbreak’ your device for that.
Unlike the Google Play Store, Apple App Store doesn’t rely much on your IP address. The store provides apps depending on the country registered on your account. To get access to TikTok, you will need to create a new account outside the US.
Since TikTok is free, you won’t need to enter your credit card details, and so just click “None” during registration. Once you have your new account set up, you can then sign out on your iCloud account.
Before you sign in using the new one, we highly advise that you first connect your VPN to the country where you registered your new account. This will help Apple match your country and IP address.
After that, you can download TikTok and enjoy!
Other uses of a VPN
The bove method can also be used to access other services that have banned by the Government. However, a VPN goes way beyond that and lets you enjoy so much more.
Here are some uses of a VPN that you can take advantage of:
Access Geo-Restricted Content on Streaming Services
Streaming services usually impose strict geo-restrictions to determine who can access what. And despite the fact that the US has the largest library, there are still tons of Movies and TV Shows that are only available overseas. These include popular shows such as Friends, Prison Break, Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, 24, and more.
Once you connect your VPN to a country where the title is available, you can then Watch it on Netflix. This also applies to other geo-restricted content.
To know more, read the article on How to change Netflix country with a VPN
Stay Private & Secure
This is a core reason for using a VPN. The fact some VPNs like Surfshark encrypt your traffic and do not log your activities ensures that you can secure your data and browse the internet privately and anonymously. This comes in handy when using public hotspots as it helps protect your data from attackers.
Download & Share Files
Governments and copyright agencies are keen to monitor piracy on the internet, and ISPs usually collect internet logs and present them to such agencies. To avoid a DMCA notice, you can connect to a VPN like Surfshark to hide your activities and spoof your actual location.
Wrap up
If the ban on TikTok is put in place, the USA won’t be the first country to impose it, and with other countries looking at the same, it’s highly likely it won’t be the last. However, users can still enjoy creating and sharing content on the app with a VPN.
You can use the guide above to install and use TikTok in the US and any other country where the popular platform is banned!
Though the ban I hope this article may help you to continue using your TikTok in the USA or where ever you are in the case be banned. Please leave your comments below, rate the article, and share it with your friends.
Enjoy your TikTok!
