Despite a significant increase in VPN usage in the US after news of the TikTok ban, it seems even the most reliable VPN services are not a guaranteed solution for the millions of Americans attempting to access the popular social media platform. The message “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now” continues to affect 170 million Americans affected by the ban. Despite attempts to circumvent the ban using VPNs, the Chinese video-sharing service, TikTok, enforced the ban recently after the expiration of the ban-or-sell TikTok law. Questions arise about why VPNs failed to bypass the ban and what solutions Americans can explore if this situation occurs again.

Virtual private networks (VPNs) encrypt internet connections and hide real IP addresses to bypass geo-restrictions. VPN usage saw a massive spike following the TikTok ban in the US, with Proton VPN reporting a 490% increase in sign-ups. NordVPN also experienced a surge in new users. Despite the high demand for VPNs, users found it challenging to access TikTok with VPNs due to the ban implementation.

Unlike other countries that applied network-level restrictions, the US ban targeted specific US-based accounts, making it difficult to access TikTok. VPNs were ineffective in bypassing the ban due to the nature of the blockage. While TikTok is gradually being restored in the US, users might need to take additional steps in the future, such as registering with TikTok from a different country and using VPNs on devices not linked to US SIM cards.

Ultimately, accessing TikTok during bans requires users to navigate different strategies to bypass restrictions effectively.