TikTok has gone dark—Even before the midnight deadline, users opening their apps in the U.S. saw the now infamous popup explaining that TikTok has gone but might be back when the Trump administration takes office. Suddenly, all the speculation around “going dark” versus app updates and whether VPNs would resolve the problem became real. And it was all bad news for U.S. users. The workaround is out there — but it’s painful.
It’s not unlawful to have or use TikTok in the U.S., the law falls on service providers rather than users. That’s why Google and Apple have removed the app from stores and even the beta app has been blocked. It’s also why the platform has gone completely dark in the U.S., given the data storage providers and wider U.S. ecosystem that underpins the platform.
This is why VPNs don’t work—they can mask the origination of traffic, but if you have a U.S. account or a U.S. app or a U.S. cell phone number, then TikTok will stop you accessing its service. This is extreme adherence to the ban, but you can understand TikTok taking that approach given the publicity and the political sensitivity.
Working around the ban — if you can — is not unlawful, as long as you don’t do anything wrong in how you actually do it. The issue for U.S. users will be that you won’t be able to do that with your existing account. You also can’t do that from the U.S. or possibly even with a cell phone carrying a U.S.-registered SIM or eSIM.
TikTok offers a website with limited features and functionality. It enables you to sign-in but creating an account from the website is difficult. Remember, you also cannot use a non-U.S. App Store or Play Store unless you have an Apple or Google account in that different country. Android users may be able to sideload a new app, but I would strongly advise against it. If you can’t live without your TikTok fix — at least until the politics becomes clear in the next few days — stick to the web.
You can try to setup a new account on the web with an email address or a non U.S. cell phone number. Be warned, TikTok will likely point you to the app “for security reasons” and stop the signup process midstream. I did say this is painful.
What you need is a new account setup outside the U.S. If you have someone you trust in a different country, have them do this for you and set up an account with an email address not a phone number. It can be your email address and you’ll need to give them the code you are sent. They’ll need to log out of their usual account first.
Then with a valid new account that has been setup outside the U.S. you can use TikTok from inside the U.S. This is where your VPN kicks in, just set the territory to somewhere in Europe. Just be careful which VPN you choose — free ones are dangerous. I’d also advise using the same country that your fresh account was signed-up from within. Theoretically, your SIM country identifier will still be viewable as will the territorial markers in your browser. But private browsing and a VPN should suffice. If not, login from a tablet or PC without a cell connection.
While this lets you play with the app, your own account will not be accessible in any way until the ban is lifted or TikTok offers some way around this for U.S. registered users. In reality, there was no real reason for the platform to go this far, this fast, as it has been clear that no enforcement will take place until the change in administration. But it has generated the right level of headlines and it’s nicely set for a heroic rescue mission next week to mass public acclaim. Job done.
