HomeTop StoriesWhat happens to TikTok on my phone if the app is banned?

What happens to TikTok on my phone if the app is banned?

TikTok is facing a possible ban in the US later this month when a law comes into effect that could force Chinese social media app owner ByteDance to part ways with the platform as planned on January 19.

Specifically, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act would do that make it illegal for Google or Apple app stores, as well as web hosting services, to distribute or maintain TikTok. If ByteDance had started the process to sell TikTok, the president could also pause the passage of the law for 90 days.

The Supreme Court on Jan. 11 heard arguments from government lawyers, who say TikTok poses a threat to U.S. national security, and from lawyers for the social media platform. Experts said the judges appeared receptive to the government’s case, raising the likelihood of a ban. Here’s what that would mean for TikTok users in the US

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Can I use TikTok after the ban?

When the law goes into effect on January 19, people in the US who have not yet downloaded the TikTok app would no longer have access to it. It will no longer be available for download on app stores, including those from Apple and Google.

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For TikTok users who already have the short video app on their devices, it remains to be seen what will happen to the app. In one scenario, it goes dark and users receive a notification that it is not functional or available to them.

“They’ll get a message that says, ‘This service is not available in your country. That’s very likely what will happen based on what we’ve seen in other countries that have banned certain platforms,” ​​said Timothy Edgar, a professor of cybersecurity at Brown University, told CBS MoneyWatch. “This generation could be in for a very rude awakening if the law goes into effect and they discover that a major social media platform they have come to rely on as creators or simply users, suddenly becomes unavailable.”

While such an action would be unprecedented in the US, that has been the experience of users of banned apps in other countries, added Edgar, who thinks this is the most likely outcome in the US.

Other cybersecurity experts say TikTok may not become inaccessible overnight, but the user experience in the US will deteriorate over time.

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“If you already have TikTok on your phone, you can still use it, but over time you will stop receiving updates, causing the app to become outdated,” said Qi Liao, a professor of computer and network security at Central Michigan University. CBS Money Watch. “Several issues could arise as TikTok may introduce new features or security patches, and the app will experience slow performance in the US, as well as security issues. So eventually, TikTok users will likely stop using the vulnerable version.”

Can I access TikTok through a VPN?

Edgar notes that the new law doesn’t target users, meaning that even if the ban goes into effect, it wouldn’t be illegal for people to have TikTok on their phones or try to access the platform.

US-based users could likely get around the ban by using a virtual private network to access TikTok. VPNs provide privacy and can make US-based computers appear to ISPs as if they are outside the country.

Eva Galperin, director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit focused on digital rights, told CBS MoneyWatch that US TikTok users could likely get around the ban via VPN, although that approach does come with risks.

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“Presumably it would work just fine,” she said, warning that “many free VPNs make money by selling user data.”

Galperin added that some free VPN service providers are known to install malware on users’ devices. “So I would advise people to be very careful about the VPN they choose,” she said.

Meanwhile, Edgar warned that setting up more advanced VPNs takes time, money and effort.

“It’s not something Americans are used to doing because we haven’t experienced our government filtering the internet,” he said.

What are some TikTok alternatives?

Users looking for a TikTok replacement app do have alternatives, such as YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels.

“Short-form video content is something people want and they will continue to find ways to get it,” says Edgar.


Legal Analysis of the TikTok Ban Supreme Court Arguments

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Another alternative is Lemon8, a social media app owned by ByteDance that launched in 2020, although experts note it could be subject to the same law that threatens to ban TikTok in the US.

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