Montana lawmakers made headlines by passing a bill blocking downloads of TikTok in the state, marking the most significant action against the controversial social media app to date. The SB 419 bill pretty much makes it illegal for Google Play, App Store and other app distributors to give users the option to download TikTok. Besides that, the bill makes it illegal for the company to operate within the state of Montana. The bill is now expected to be signed by a Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte, who had previously banned TikTok on government-owned mobile devices. Also, more than 20 states followed the example of Montana and banned TikTok on all government-owned devices. The Biden administration banned the app on all federal devices of government agency staff. While the ban on government-issued devices is a matter of national security, the first statewide ban marks the push for countrywide shutdown of TikTok on all devices across the USA. If passed, the bill will go in effect in 2024 and the violations of the bill would rack up $10,000 for each offense.
Opponents of the bill argued about the efficiency of the ban as residents of Montana can easily use a VPN service to bypass geofence and access TikTok regardless.
There were also arguments on why the state wasn’t looking to ban any other social media apps that are known to collect data from their users just like TikTok
Will TikTok be banned nationwide?
Many users wonder whether TikTok will be banned in the US, and it’s not without a reason. The Justice Department previously warned that China stands behind the “weaponization of data”. The US government agencies have been banning TikTok on all devices due to high risk of espionage and collection of data in favor of the Chinese Communist Party. In November 2022, FBI Director Chris Wray shared with Congress concerns that China could potentially use TikTok to collect data on millions of users in the US. Some say that TikTok ban US is imminent due to tensions between China and the US amidst the crisis in Taiwan.
TikTok is considered a threat mostly due to being leveraged by the Chinese Communist Party, as every company operating out of China has to comply with the rules and the guidelines imposed by the CCP. Hopefully, there will be a deescalation in the near future when it comes to Chinese/American relations and the situation around Taiwan. Montana pushed the process of a nationwide ban of TikTok in the US, and it is not impossible that the social media giant loses the American market in a year or two. The US banning TikTok is most likely the matter of time.
TikTok banned in UK: is it possible?
TikTok has been under fire in the UK due to failing to keep 1.4 million UK children aged under 13 from using the app and then using their data without parental consent. As a result, TikTok has been fined 12.7 million pounds for failing to protect the children’s privacy, even though this fine is relatively small, considering that TikTok’s parent company ByteDance made 80 billion dollars in 2022 in revenue. Is TikTok getting banned in the UK? It depends on what ByteDance does to convince the UK government that TikTok is no longer endangering children by collecting data and allowing them to use the app.
Besides, the British government also followed suit and banned TikTok from all government devices. “This is a precautionary move. We know that there is already limited use of TikTok across government, but it is also good cyber hygiene,” said Oliver Dowen, the UK Secretary of State in the Cabinet Office. It is obvious that the trust towards TikTok is very hindered and the question of TikTok banned in UK is not off the table in the near future.
In case you’re wondering how to unblock TikTok, we have a dedicated page on our website explaining how to do so.
What countries have already banned TikTok?
While it is still unclear whether the idea of “US banning TikTok” is coming to fruition, it is pretty obvious that many countries will be somewhat cautious when it comes to TikTok. For example, India imposed a nationwide ban in 2020 due to privacy concerns. The ban came shortly after the tensions and the clash on the Indian-Chinese border, and the ban on TikTok, WeChat and other Chinese social media apps hasn’t been lifted yet. Is TikTok getting banned anywhere else? Well, at this point, TikTok is banned mostly in all western countries among government officials.
How to unblock TikTok?
If you’re wondering how to unblock TikTok in a location where the app is banned, you can use VPN to connect to a server in a foreign country and encrypt your traffic while doing so. However, be advised that if you’re a government official in the EU, especially in France, it is forbidden to install and use the app on your device, since it may contain classified data. However, if you’re a regular user of TikTok or a creator on the app, then just follow the instructions on our website, and you’ll be able to use TikTok in no time.
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ZoogVPN is a popular Virtual Private Network (VPN) that provides excellent privacy protection and is an excellent choice for hiding your internet history from internet providers. ZoogVPN uses strong encryption protocols to ensure that your data is secure and cannot be intercepted by third parties. Additionally, ZoogVPN does not keep any logs of your internet activity, ensuring that your online privacy is protected. ZoogVPN has a user-friendly interface and is easy to use, making it an excellent choice for beginners. It also has fast connection speeds, allowing you to browse the internet quickly and efficiently. Overall, ZoogVPN is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a high-quality VPN to protect their online privacy and hide their internet history from prying eyes.
Will TikTok be banned? Doesn’t matter if you have secure VPN installed
- Arsène MaliceArsène is a Kyiv-based staff writer for ZoogVPN, covering everything tech-related from VPN news and social media trends to cybersport events and geek culture. He’s written for several music magazines, and crypto and tech-oriented websites. He tries to keep his finger on the media’s pulse with varying success. You can catch him djing, playing volleyball, and rage-quitting a ranked game in League of Legends.
