How VPNs Can Allow Americans to Continue Using TikTok
If TikTok goes dark for Americans on Sunday, there may be a tool to keep accessing the popular social app’s VPN.
The Chinese-owned app is set to be removed from mobile app stores and the web for US users on Sunday because of President Joe Biden’s 2018 executive order. The law, signed into law in April 2024, requires the app to be sold to a qualified buyer before the deadline.
Barring a last-minute sale or relief from the Supreme Court, the app will surely disappear from the app stores of iPhones and Android phones. It won’t be removed from people’s phones, but apps may stop working.
TikTok plans to shut down its service to Americans on Sunday, meaning even those who have downloaded the app will not be able to continue using it, according to reports this week. From Reuters And The information. Apple And google They did not comment on their plans to remove the apps from their respective app stores on Sunday.
“Essentially, an app or website can verify where users are coming from,” said Justas Palekas, head of product at proxy service IProyal.com. “Based on that, they can then impose restrictions based on their environment.”
Hiding your physical internet access point
That might put off a lot of users, but especially for Americans who drive, using a VPN allows them to continue using the app.
VPNs and related technology called business-to-business proxies route a user’s Internet traffic through a server in another country, making it appear as though they are accessing the Internet from a different location than their physical location.
This is a 12-digit number unique to each individual computer, as it is identified by an IP number every time a computer is connected to the Internet. The first six digits of the number identify the network, which also includes information about the physical region from which the request came.
People in China have used VPNs for years to get around the country’s firewall, which blocks American websites like Google and Facebook. VPNs saw a huge increase in traffic when India banned TikTok in 2020, and people often use VPNs to watch sports events from countries where there are no official broadcasters.
In the year As of 2022, the VPN market was worth nearly $38 billion, according to the VPN Trust Initiative, a lobbying group.
“We constantly see a demand for VPNs when access to online platforms is restricted, and this is no different,” said Lauren Hendry Parsons, privacy advocate for ExpressVPN, which costs $5 a month.
We’re not here to endorse TikTok, but the looming US ban highlights why VPNs are important—millions rely on them for secure, private, and unrestricted Internet access. ProtonVPN offers its service for $10 per month.
The price of VPN
Both ExpressVPN and ProtonVPN allow users to customize their internet access point.
Most VPN services charge a monthly fee to pay for their servers and traffic, but some use a business model where they collect user data or traffic trends, such as Meta It offers free VPN So it can track which competitors’ apps are growing the fastest.
A key trade-off for those using VPNs is that they require streaming through an intermediary computer to hide users’ physical locations.
And although VPNs have worked in the past when governments blocked apps, TikTok doesn’t guarantee that VPNs will work in the dark. It won’t be clear whether ExpressVPN will be able to access TikTok until the ban is implemented, Parsons told CNBC in an email. It may also detect Americans trying to use a VPN to access the TikTok app.
(LR) of Charleston, AC. Sara Baus, of Jackson, Mississippi and Kali Goodwin of Columbia, SC, holds a “TikTok” sign as she and other content creators stand outside the US Supreme Court building as a courtroom. On January 10, 2025, oral arguments will be heard in Washington, DC on whether to repeal or delay the bill that would lead to a ban on TikTok in the United States.
Andrew Harnick | Getty Images
VPNs and proxies have long been part of the Internet landscape to circumvent regional restrictions, but their use is increasing when governments seek to block certain services or applications.
Applications are always removed at the request of the government. near 1500 apps removed. By 2023, more than 1,000 will be available in China, according to Apple, in regions due to government download requirements. Most are banned apps that violate laws like gambling or Chinese video game laws, but more and more countries are banning apps for national security or economic development reasons.
Now, the US is about to ban one of the most popular apps in the country – it was the second most downloaded app in both iOS and Android by 115 million users in 2024, according to estimates given to CNBC by Sensor Tower, a market intelligence firm.
“As we continue to see attempts to fragment and censor the Internet, the role of VPNs in protecting Internet freedom is becoming increasingly critical,” Parsons said.
See: Alternative additions to Chinese TikTok