As of January 19, 2025, TikTok has been banned in the US. The US government banned TikTok due to concerns about its data collection practices and potential ties to the Chinese government. Users based on the U.S, when opened the TikTok app late on Saturday night were met with a message from TikTok.
ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, made the unexpected decision to shut down its U.S. operations just hours ahead of a Sunday deadline. The move severed access for tens of millions of American users, following the Supreme Court's decision earlier this week to uphold a law banning the app due to national security concerns linked to its Chinese ownership.
The legislation, passed by Congress last year, required ByteDance to sell TikTok by January 19 or face removal from U.S. app stores and hosting platforms. ByteDance argued that selling TikTok wasn’t feasible and took the case to court, but the Supreme Court unanimously rejected their challenge on Friday.
In response, former President Trump took to social media on Sunday, initially posting “SAVE TIKTOK” before announcing plans to issue an executive order on Monday. The order, he claimed, would extend the deadline and shield companies from any liability if they kept TikTok operational during the interim.
Following that, TikTok has begun restoring access to its U.S. users after a brief voluntary shutdown that lasted less than a day. The company announced on Sunday that it was reinstating services following President-elect Donald Trump's commitment to delay the ban through an executive order on his first day in office.
TikTok platform then released the following notifications for U.S users;
Although the company managing TikTok's U.S. operations stated on X that Trump’s outlined steps on Sunday offered “the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties,” the TikTok app remained inaccessible for download in Apple and Google app stores.
In addition to that, Apple informed customers that it had also removed other apps developed by ByteDance, including Lemon8, CapCut, Marvel Snap, and Hypic.
With the TikTok app still unavailable for download on Apple and Google app stores, the aftershocks have been significant, particularly in recent app trends. This situation has paved the way for alternative platforms like Xiaohongshu, also known as The RedNote app, to gain traction. Additionally, VPN apps have seen a notable rise in popularity within the U.S. market.
According to FoxData, Xiaohongshu 小红书 (The RedNote App) has been ranked #1 in the U.S. App Store since last week.
Continue reading: TikTok Ban Propels RedNote to the Top of US Download Charts
Following the sudden popularity of the app, followed by numerous UGC content produced by American users related to the app, the Xiaohangshu app has managed to rank #1 in several other countries and regions like North America, South America, and Europe.
All of these data can be seen using FoxData's ASO Tool, with the Global Chart Analysis feature! Click here to learn more.
With the TikTok Ban finally executed last Saturday, numerous VPN apps like X-VPN, Proton VPN, and Express VPN were seen to hike the ranking position in both the App Store and Play Store within the last 7 days in the U.S. market.
A VPN encrypts internet traffic, providing anonymity and potentially protecting users from government monitoring. In this case, the rise of VPN apps in the ranking position for the U.S. market could be seen as an effort to get around the US TikTok Ban. This is because, if internet service providers block TikTok, VPNs allow users to bypass these restrictions without revealing their activity.
Source: FoxData's App Movement (Apple App Store - US Market)
Source: FoxData's App Movement (Google Play Store - US Market)
While there are many VPN service providers out there, you should certainly give MrGhost VPN a try!
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This guide will show you how to get TikTok on your iPhone using two options: changing your existing App Store account region or creating a new account in a country where TikTok is available.
✨ Important Note: Using a VPN alone to change your IP address won’t work. You also need to adjust your App Store region or create a new account.
This option is perfect if you don’t mind updating your current Apple ID settings. Here’s how to do it:
🎉 Now your App Store is set to the new region!
If you don’t want to mess with your current Apple ID, creating a new account is a great alternative.
Once TikTok is installed, you can switch back to your original App Store account or region. TikTok will keep working as long as your VPN is active when needed.
While TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains uncertain due to the ban, there is still room for optimism. Political actions and the rise of alternatives like Xiaohongshu, along with workarounds like VPNs, show that users are adapting and finding ways to stay connected. The path forward depends on ongoing negotiations, but there’s hope that a resolution can be reached that allows TikTok to remain an important part of the U.S. social media landscape.
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