The fate of TikTok in the USA has been like a rollercoaster in the past few years. In 2020, President Trump signed an executive order to prevent US residents from doing business with TikTok’s owner ByteDance and several other major Chinese tech firms.
In April 2024, President Biden signed a law to ban TikTok in the USA unless ByteDance sold its stake in the platform. In December of the same year, the US federal appeals court denied TikTok an emergency request to stop the ban from taking effect.
On January 18, 2025, TikTok shut down its service in the USA and removed its mobile apps from the US versions of the Apple and Google Play stores. At the time of writing, President Trump has signed an executive order that has delayed enforcement of the ban for 75 days.
In this article, we will delve further into the latest developments surrounding the TikTok ban, its consequences, and what you, as a TikTok user, can do to stay connected.
What is the TikTok ban?
The formal name for the TikTok ban is the ‘Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act’ (PAFACA). It applies to any social network service that the current President determines to be a “foreign adversary controlled application”.
As TikTok is owned by a Chinese company – ByteDance – it was ordered to divest its stake in the platform. So far ByteDance has refused to comply and has tried to challenge the ban on legal grounds, particularly that it violates the First Amendment.
Why was TikTok banned?
The primary reasons for the US government attempting to ban TikTok include:
National security concerns
In theory, the Chinese government has access to data held by all companies within the country. Although ByteDance is incorporated in the Cayman Islands there are concerns that the Chinese government could access personal information about US TikTok users.
Data collection practices
TikTok collects extensive amounts of information like your name, geolocation, and contact lists. The US government has concerns that this data could be misused, though American social media platforms like Meta have previously engaged in similar practices.
Foreign influences
The US government fears that TikTok could be used to manipulate public opinion in the country. For example, certain accounts linked to the Russian state have previously promoted a pro-Moscow narrative that’s critical of Western support for Ukraine.
What are the consequences of the TikTok ban?
When TikTok shut down its platform in the US, users of mobile devices couldn’t use the app. The same was true for people visiting the website from within the country. Access has since been restored but the ban had several notable consequences.
Surge in VPN searches
In the week before TikTok was shut down briefly in the USA, there was a huge spike in the number of online searches for VPNs. This included terms like ‘Best VPNs’. Within minutes of TikTok being blocked, VPN search terms surged 1566%.
This is unsurprising, given that VPN connections can be routed via specialist servers in other countries. This means that users can access content as if they were in that country, effectively evading local bans.
User migration
In the wake of the shutdown, many ‘Tiktok refugees’ moved to RedNote, another Chinese social media platform. It quickly became the most downloaded app of its kind in the Apple store and the developers quickly began translating content into English. Rather unusually, RedNote allows Chinese and US users to talk freely to each other, though many topics remain censored.
Resale market
As TikTok is still unavailable in mobile app stores some users attempted to sell cellphones with TikTok preinstalled on online marketplaces like eBay. As of late January, there were over 66,000 such listings, costing up to $5.2 Million. (There’s no evidence, however, that any users have purchased phones at these prices).
Stay of execution
President Trump signed an executive order on January 20 following his inauguration, delaying the enforcement of the TikTok for at least 75 days. This is supposedly for his administration to have “an opportunity to determine the appropriate course forward in an orderly way“. TikTok and other ByteDance apps are still unavailable in the US mobile app stores for both iOS and Android devices. However, the website is now accessible in the country.
The return of TikTok
After President Trump signed the executive order delaying the TikTok ban, the platform came back online around twelve hours after shutting itself down.
On its return, the site displayed the notification
“Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!”
The platform also added:
“We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”
This is no doubt welcome news to the 170 million TikTok users in the country. At a rally on January 20, President Trump outlined a plan for a joint venture between American and Chinese businesses. Media outlets like CNN have speculated that Trump may plan to take credit for ‘saving’ TikTok by ensuring 50% American ownership.
It’s not currently clear which companies are both willing and able to buy TikTok. Time Magazine has written a roundup of the top contenders. These include Elon Musk, who as the world’s richest man has enough capital to buy the platform outright.
Top YouTube content creator MrBeast has also apparently been working with a consortium of investors to make a bid for the platform.
Canadian investor and Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary has also expressed interest in buying TikTok and has even claimed to Fox News that he has $20 billion cash ready to make the purchase.
President Trump has indicated he wants Oracle CTO and cofounder Larry Ellison to buy the platform.
The future of TikTok in the USA
ByteDance has launched numerous legal challenges against attempts to shut down or forcibly buy the platform. President Trump’s decision to delay the ban has also left the future of TikTok uncertain. Currently, there are several possible outcomes:
Legal resolution
Though ByteDance has been unsuccessful so far in overturning PAFACA, the law has been criticized as a violation of the First Amendment. However, ByteDance’s appeal against the ban was recently heard by the US Supreme Court and rejected. This means TikTok and other Bytedance-owned apps are unlikely to continue to receive permission to operate on constitutional grounds in their current form.
Project Texas
TikTok could revive its “Project Texas” initiative. This aims to store all user data on US users on Oracle servers in Texas. This would keep citizens’ information secure, as well as allow for independent auditing of TikTok’s content recommendation algorithm to prevent mass manipulation.
Divestiture
Faced with the reality of being shut down in the US, ByteDance may agree to sell its stake in TikTok to an interested American citizen like Elon Musk or an investor group headed by the likes of Kevin O’Leary. So far the company hasn’t indicated that they wish to do this and in practice, the US government can’t legally seize Bytedance’s assets.
Political negotiation
As President Trump has already prevented enforcement of the TikTok ban, he may be able to use this as a bargaining chip for ByteDance to change its business practices. PAFACA gives the current President broad discretion to decide if a social media platform is being controlled by a ‘foreign adversary’. This leaves the door open for a negotiated settlement, such as ByteDance selling only half its stake in TikTok.
Continued ban
If no agreement can be reached between the US government and Bytedance, the ban may be reinstated. If this happens, TikTok may shut down its platform voluntarily in the US once again instead of being blocked by ISPs.
The VPN dilemma
At hide.me, we’re unsurprisingly big fans of using VPNs. However, US citizens need to understand the practical and legal implications of doing so:
Potential illegality
PAFACA doesn’t just ban social media platforms that the President considers to be controlled by a foreign adversary. It also prohibits any actions to circumvent the ban. Technically this would include using a VPN to connect to a server outside the country to access TikTok.
Privacy concerns
The recent surge in searches for VPN apps means that scammers have likely jumped on the bandwagon. 2024 saw a huge surge in fake ‘free VPN’ apps that installed malware on people’s devices. Certain ‘free’ VPN services even sell user data to help pay operating costs. Naturally, these are different from legitimate providers like hide.me which offer both free and paid tiers.
Effectiveness
When TikTok shut down its service in the USA, all US-created accounts couldn’t connect to the service. This was true whether or not the device was connected to a VPN.
This worked in a similar way to the TikTok ban in India, where researchers found the only way to circumvent the ban on a device was to remove the local SIM card, and then connect to a reliable provider. TikTok users with non-US accounts were able to connect to the desktop website using a VPN with their browser.
Ethics
The US government feels it has strong national security concerns about TikTok and other Chinese-owned social media apps. The debate is ongoing as to what extent the American public is at risk and/or is being manipulated by TikTok. Still, using a VPN to circumvent the ban could raise ethical concerns given what’s at stake.
What can TikTok users in the US do?
Since the fate of TikTok in the USA is up in the air, citizens have only a few options:
Stay informed
As the situation is fluid, it’s vital to keep up to date with the latest developments. Search your favorite news outlets, the TikTok blog, and government sources for the latest information.
Backup content
Remember, if TikTok voluntarily shuts down in the US this may apply to all accounts created in the country. This means neither you nor any other user will be able to access your content – even whilst using a VPN. Stay safe by following the steps on TikTok’s support pages to export and download all your data.
Explore alternatives
As we’ve seen, US users have been quick to flock to alternative social media platform RedNote in the wake of the TikTok ban. However, as the platform is based in Shanghai, it could also be banned under PAFACA. When TikTok was banned in India, many creators switched to other platforms like YouTube and Instagram Reels. Check your chosen platform’s terms of service carefully before signing up.
Use VPNs cautiously
While VPNs are an excellent way to protect your online privacy, remember that using them to access blocked social media platforms is banned under PAFACA. If the ban goes ahead, make sure to take legal advice before trying to access TikTok using a VPN.
The same holds for any other methods to circumvent bans like using the Tor Browser, or SSH tunneling.
Advocate for TikTok
If you agree with ByteDance that shutting down TikTok or forcing its sale is unethical, contact your legal representatives and express your views. Although multiple legal challenges have failed, the US is a democracy so PAFACA can be repealed.
Time’s up for TikTok?
The story of TikTok in the USA has become very complex in a short time. There are many competing interests from within both the Chinese and US governments. The platform remains incredibly popular and the immediate crisis has been sidestepped by the President’s Executive Order. Still, its fate remains uncertain.
The coming months will be crucial in determining whether ByteDance can address the US government’s concerns around TikTok, especially as the platform serves millions of American citizens.
For now, TikTok users should stay informed about the latest developments and remain cautious about using VPNs to bypass restrictions. What happens this year is likely to have profound implications for the regulation of social media and related technology in the USA.
FAQ
No, TikTok is not currently banned in the United States. The website can still be accessed. However, the mobile apps are still not available in the US version of the Apple and Google Play stores.
PAFACA is a law signed by President Biden in April 2024. In its current form, it requires ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to sell its US operations or face a ban. The law aims to protect American national security by regulating applications that are deemed to be controlled by foreign adversaries.
Yes. The law addresses concerns about national security risks and data collection practices by foreign social media platforms like TikTok. The US government is also concerned that TikTok could be used to manipulate public opinion.
The original deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations or face a ban was January 19, 2025. TikTok voluntarily shut down the platform one day before this. President Trump then signed an executive order delaying the ban by 75 days. Technically this means the ban will now go into effect on April 4, 2025.
If TikTok voluntarily shuts down its platform again, all user accounts created in the USA will be inaccessible. The mobile app will be unavailable in the US versions of the Apple and Google Play stores.
American tech companies would be prohibited from hosting, distributing, maintaining, or updating the application. All users trying to connect to the website from a US IP address will also be inaccessible.
Using a VPN can mask your device’s current public IP address by routing connections via a specialist server. However, the TikTok mobile app can use other information to determine where you’re based such as geolocation data and your device SIM card.
You could almost certainly use a VPN with a web browser to access the desktop site for TikTok on your computer. However, PAFACA prohibits Americans from taking any measures to circumvent bans like using a VPN.
Yes. ByteDance could agree to sell its stake in Tiktok, move user data to the US under ‘Project Texas’, or negotiate another solution with the US government. In all these scenarios, the platform wouldn’t be banned.
Although RedNote has seen a huge spike in downloads, it’s also owned by a Chinese company so could be banned under PAFACA. Instead, consider Western social media platforms like Instagram or YouTube.
If you’re based in the US, follow the steps on TikTok’s support pages to export and download your data. Research alternative social media platforms like Instagram Reels. Check TikTok’s website and government sources to learn about the latest developments. Above all, remember this is an evolving situation and a ban isn’t certain.
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