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TikTok’s fate in the US is under question but tech-savvy people might use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access the app if it gets banned. Yes, it sounds easy and simple but the repercussions might not be so.
The US has approximately 121 million app users and it is speculated that they might try different ways to use the app in case a ban is put in place. As per reports, the ban would not necessarily mean the removal of the app altogether but halting software updates and videos.
According to an exclusive report by Dexerto, Neil Elan, a business litigator specializing in intellectual property, said although isolated use of VPN might not raise significant issues, widespread use of the network arrangement could heighten government scrutiny. The news attracted the attention of netizens, many of whom joked about the hypothetical situation. One X user commented:
“Imagine going to jail for looking at tiktok memes.”
Social media users shared incarceration jokes about using the network arrangement.
“they also say there’s a penalty if you use VPNs for streaming service region exclusivity… they’re full of it lmao,” a netizen (@sigmatic_) wrote.
“You gonna send me to jail huh? “What you in here for” VPN’d on Tik tok big foe,” a person (@Ac7ionMann) joked.
Other X users wrote that Android users might use different ways of using TikTok while similar jokes continued.
“I just know my android users will find ways around that as well,” a social media user (@JadePalace1976) pointed out.
“I thought this kind of stuff just happened in China?” an online user (@Mejabo7) asked.
“I don’t use tik tok at all but this kind of censorship is a bit much, we starting to look like china now,” an internet user (@karuzen2) noted.
Neil Elan said the use of a VPN to access TikTok might also incur fines
Elan stated that using a VPN to access TikTok would violate the law. Circumventing such a restriction directly breaches the imposed legal framework, potentially leading to penalties for those who attempt it. He said:
“There would be a penalty and punishment, likely fines. I wouldn’t recommend using a VPN to get around the law, although I do know that it is common. Whether the lawmakers turn a blind eye or whether it’s strictly enforced is a risk that the user will take.”
Elan mentioned that concerns about TikTok primarily involve national security, which could shape legal actions against users accessing the app via the network arrangement after a ban.
He opined that the situation depends on several factors, including the law, potential acquisition of the app, enforcement authority, and the number of users bypassing restrictions through the network arrangement.
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According to a report by Today, the Circuit Court in the District of Columbia has declined to stop the ban. The Supreme Court upheld a law requiring the app’s parent company ByteDance to sell TikTok by January 19, 2025, or face the ban.
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