Will the US Uphold the TikTok Ban?
If you’ve been following the news over the past few days, you might have heard that Donald Trump has banned all US transactions with TikTok. While some are disapproving of this act and calling it an abuse of power, some are justifying it as a necessary action to protect national security. What’s more, after Trump’s executive order, several other countries across the globe announced that they might also block TikTok soon.
Depending on how these blocks play out in the following weeks and months, we might see a huge surge in VPN use. But will it be legal to use a VPN for TikTok, and how efficient would this even be? Continue reading to find out everything you need to know about this hot topic.
Why did Donald Trump Issue a Ban on TikTok?
TikTok is a Chinese social service app that’s received significant traction over the previous 12 months. It’s owned by one of the largest tech companies in China but isn’t available in the country. A few days ago, Donald Trump gave TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, 45 days to sell the app to a US-owned company, or else the app will get banned in the US.
While this move may seem like a radical step to take in terms of international relations, the motives for it are understandable. Under Chinese law, all companies have an obligation to cooperate with national intelligence work. This means that all apps and programs made by companies in the People’s Republic of China present a potential privacy and security issue to all users. At best, this can mean only a slight breach of privacy. At worst, it can be used for mass security breaches and pose a threat even to national security.
Will it Be Illegal to Use a VPN for TikTok?
As of yet, it’s difficult to estimate how this ban would shape up if it comes to fruition. And, while it may be easy to assume that using a VPN for TikTok will be illegal since the app itself will be, things are not that cut and dry. It’s important to remember that using a VPN doesn’t make any illegal activity legal. So, when you use a VPN to torrent and share files, you’re still engaging in illegal activities. You’re just protected by the VPN.
The same kind of scenario could be expected if TikTok becomes illegal. With that in mind, it’s highly unlikely that any users are using TikTok for criminal activities. The main goal of this ban would be to protect personal data, and not prevent illicit content. But, with all of this said, it depends on what action Trump takes on this issue.
Can a VPN for TikTok Work?
VPNs will remain the number one choice for all users who want to have unrestricted access to TikTok, no matter where they are. All you would need to do is connect to a VPN server and choose any location outside of the US, and you’ll be able to access TikTok right away. By rerouting your IP address to a remote server, the VPN can fool the ISP trackers and make your computer think it’s in an entirely different country.
Of course, besides using it to access this social service app, you can utilize your VPN for many different uses. As the main advantage of a VPN is the freedom to roam the internet in complete privacy and anonymity, you’ll be able to access any site you want to. The most popular uses of VPN services include:
- Steaming online content
- Accessing geo-restricted websites
- Torrenting and P2P file sharing
If you’re worried about the TikTok ban or are considering getting a VPN to safeguard your sensitive information, now is the best time to do so. As one of the best VPNs on the market, we offer you full content access starting at less than a couple of bucks per month. Sign up with ZoogVPN and enjoy unrestricted internet with maximum online privacy.
Yaroslav S.CEO at ZoogVPN. Yaroslav is a versatile manager with extensive customer support experience. His historical background and a deep passion for philosophy perfectly complete a real desire to create meaningful content and tech products.
