Montana became the latest location to ban TikTok on Wednesday, May 17, after Governor Greg Gianforte signed legislation to outlaw the app. Until now, TikTok was only banned in India and Afghanistan. There are partial restrictions on accessing the app in several states and countries, including Australia.
If TikTok is banned in your country, here’s how to get around geo-restrictions and access the app.
- Subscribe to a trusted VPN provider, such as NordVPN.
- Download the app on your device.
- Log in and connect to a server in a country where TikTok is freely available.
- Open the app and access TikTok!
Continue reading for more information about how to get around a TikTok ban and access the app from anywhere.
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte on Wednesday signed a bill that effectively bans the use of TikTok in the state. The new law prohibits the company from operating in Montana and forbids app stores from offering TikTok for download to users in the state.
The ban arises from concerns over data safety, foreign surveillance, and the app influencing minors to engage in dangerous activities. Montana’s TikTok ban is set to come into effect on January 1, 2024. However, critics say it will almost certainly be challenged because it violates free speech.
TikTok is immensely popular in the United States. In March, CEO Shou Zi Chew said the app has over 150 million regular users in the country. However, TikTok has attracted a lot of criticism for its ties to the Chinese government.
TikTok Ban Most Decisive Action of any State, Says Governor
Montana is the first US state to completely ban the controversial app in its territory. Governor Gianforte defended the new law saying it will protect Montana residents from surveillance by the Chinese government.
“The Chinese Communist Party using TikTok to spy on Americans, violate their privacy, and collect their personal, private, and sensitive information is well-documented,” the Governor said in a press release. “Today, Montana takes the most decisive action of any state to protect Montanans’ private data and sensitive personal information from being harvested by the Chinese Communist Party.”
Meanwhile, TikTok has described Montana’s ban as “unlawful.” In April, after Montana’s House of Representatives approved the bill, TikTok Spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter described it as an attempt to censor Montana residents.
“We want to reassure Montanans that they can continue using TikTok to express themselves, earn a living, and find community as we continue working to defend the rights of our users inside and outside of Montana,” Oberwetter said in response to the news that Governor Gianforte has signed the bill into law.
How to Unblock TikTok From Anywhere in the World
TikTok also faces restrictions — partial and complete bans — in many other countries, including Australia, France, and India. However, people continue to access TikTok using a VPN. If TikTok has been blocked in your location, you may see an error message that says, “No network connection. Connect to the internet and try again.”
Here’s how to access TikTok from anywhere in the world:
- Subscribe to a trusted VPN. We’ve tested several VPNs, and NordVPN works best for unblocking geo-restricted websites.
- Download the app on your device.
- Log in and connect to a server in a country where TikTok is freely available.
- Open the app and access TikTok!
TikTok Ban in Montana: What Does it Mean?
Montana’s TikTok ban will prevent new downloads of the app in the state. TikTok and app stores could face heavy fines for violating the law. The law prescribes a $10,000 daily fine for any “entity” that makes the app available for download to users in the state.
TikTok has come under immense scrutiny from American lawmakers for its links to the Chinese Communist Party. Critics say the app poses significant privacy and national security concerns.
In March, President Joe Biden signed legislation banning TikTok on Federal government devices. Since last year, concerns over TikTok’s privacy risks have seen over 30 states enact similar laws. Montana banned the app from government devices in December.
Meanwhile, Governor Gianforte has announced that starting June 1, 2023, all apps with ties to foreign adversaries will be banned from state-issued devices. He cited CapCut, Lemon8, Telegram, Temu, and WeChat as examples.
Law Almost Certain to Face Court Challenge
First Amendment defenders, such as ACLU and NetChoice, have labeled Montana’s decision to ban TikTok as unconstitutional.
Nicole Saad Bembridge, associate counsel at Netchoice, highlighted previous efforts from the Trump administration to ban TikTok. In that case, the courts struck down the initiative on the grounds that it was excessive and did not prove that it would address national security concerns.
While there’s a chance the law may be struck down, Montana could be the first domino piece to fall in the United States.
