VPNs are not a workaround to the US ban on TikTok

US TikTok users hoping to find a workaround to access the banned app are finding that virtual private networks are no help, suggesting the company has taken extra precautions to ensure Americans can’t not avoid the ban.

Virtual private networks, more commonly known as VPNs, route Internet traffic through servers located around the world. Using VPNs can help users bypass government and corporate Internet restrictions, although their security promises can sometimes be overstated.

Many people on social media posted Saturday night into Sunday morning that their attempts to use VPNs to access TikTok had failed, and that NBC News’ attempts had also been thwarted.

It’s unclear how TikTok instituted the ban on a technical level, but the failure of VPNs is notable because they proved effective when India banned TikTok.

It’s not yet clear how TikTok identifies U.S. users. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

One explanation could be that TikTok blocks all accounts registered with a US phone number as well as the computers associated with those accounts.

NBC News tested a U.S. TikTok account with two VPNs on Sunday morning and still received the same message sent to any U.S. user who tried to access the app since Saturday evening.

“Sorry, TikTok is not available at the moment. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the United States. Unfortunately, this means you can’t use TikTok at the moment. We’re fortunate that President Trump has indicated he will work with us on a solution to restore TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!

Despite their apparent ineffectiveness, several VPN applications appeared at the top of the Apple App Store on Sunday.

NetBlocks, a company that tracks global Internet censorship, said there was no indication that any Internet service provider was blocking the app and that its unavailability was solely due to TikTok, making the service unusable for U.S. users.

In April, Biden signed a law requiring TikTok to divest from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face being banned in the United States. The law says the ban would take the form of a ban forcing the two major app stores in the United States, owned by Google and Apple, to no longer offer the app. These stores do not currently have TikTok.