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Sponsored ads for VPN services in the USA are on the rise, targeting TikTok users looking to recover their videos.
Creators across the United States who deleted the app during the brief ban are now seeking ways to recover either their accounts or troves of content. (Representative image)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Jan 24, 2025 18:02 IST
The latest addition to the TikTok survival guide is a VPN (Virtual Private network) service, soaring in demand as users scramble to recover their lost content. Creators across the United States who deleted the app during the brief ban are now seeking ways to recover either their accounts or troves of content.
The app stopped working late Saturday because of a federal law that called for TikTok to be banned if it didn’t find a new owner that isn’t Chinese, but came back partially by midday Sunday.
As users wait for the app’s return to the official app stores, many who deleted the application are turning to alternatives like VPNs, or virtual private networks to recover their content. In line with the demand, VPN companies like Turbo, X, and Safe Shell VPN are running sponsored ads on Facebook and Instagram, featuring solutions to the TikTok ban.
But can a VPN service really help bypass the TikTok ban?
TikTok’s app remains unavailable from Apple’s App Store and Google Play for Android devices in the United States, preventing users from downloading or updating the app. Trump signed an executive order to halt the ban on the app for 75 days, giving China-based owner ByteDance more time to sell a stake in the platform or reach a deal with Trump.
The app remains functional on mobile devices where it was previously installed, but those who deleted it are scrambling to reinstall it. Since the ban announcement on Saturday, Google searches for 'VPN' in the U.S. have spiked, reflecting people’s attempts to bypass the restrictions.
Many social media users reported that VPNs were not working for them while the ban was in place. Still, VPNs were among the most commonly downloaded apps on Sunday for Apple devices in the United States, according to digital intelligence company Sensor Towers.
Now that the ban is on hold, users who deleted the app from their devices can access their TikTok web accounts without needing a VPN service. TikTok users who want to circumvent their country’s ban often need to use both a VPN and a phone number with another country’s SIM card for accessing content. But, it is unclear what will and won’t work.
Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a service that secures your internet connection by encrypting data and masking IP addresses. Basically, they are helpful software tools that can make it appear as though you’re accessing websites and apps from locations other than your own. They tend to be commonly used in countries in which the government blocks access to some apps.
SALE OF DEVICES WITH PRE-INSTALLED TIKTOK
To capitalise on the demand for TikTok, not only VPN companies but also individuals are seizing the opportunity by selling old iPhones with TikTok pre-installed.
These iPhones are showing up on eBay and Facebook Marketplace, with some sellers asking for prices as high as Rs 21.5 lakh. Many of these ads are sponsored to boost their visibility on Instagram and Facebook.
The popularity of TikTok is evident from recent data by market intelligence firm App Magic, which revealed that TikTok was the highest-grossing app on the iPhone App Store in the US last year. It also ranked as the most downloaded app on both the Play Store and App Store, with a total of 82.5 crore downloads.
On the ban, TikTok released their statement saying “We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties for providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive."
Published By:
Vadapalli Nithin Kumar
Published On:
Jan 24, 2025
