“Even VPNs don’t lead to circumvention” in India, Gosain told WIRED. In the early hours of the US ban, it is not clear exactly how feasible it will be to overcome the restrictions for US accounts. It seems that TikTok has taken a more extreme approach, making the US app dark – blacking out the version of the TikTok app software that US users are made to download and use. It also appears that US-related accounts are blocked regardless of IP address or SIM country information. Running a VPN alone is not enough to bypass the ban and return to TikTok. But apparently using a non-US TikTok account after removing the SIM (or on a device without a US SIM card/US phone number) works when combined with a VPN. Also, using a VPN with a desktop browser or Tor Browser is enough to open a non-US TikTok account in the US on Sunday morning, although the desktop version of TikTok is definitely more limited than the mobile app. “TikTok checks the source IP of the network packet—if the source IP belongs to India, it will drop the packet,” explained Gosain, about the ban in India. “Also, the TikTok app takes the country information installed on the SIM card, and if the country code is ‘IN,’ it will filter the network connection. When removing the SIM card, the TikTok app fails to recognize Indian users from the SIM card, and when using a VPN, the IP address changed, and no longer on some Indian IPs. So, TikTok again fails to recognize that users are accessing it from India. For example, American TikTok users can access the internet from outside the US .VPN also prevents internet service providers (ISPs) from viewing your browsing data, adding a potential extra layer of privacy. When you use a VPN, your ISP will only see your connection to the VPN instead of having access to a detailed list of all the websites you visit, like Netflix or other streaming platforms. It is also an important, and familiar, tool for dealing with internet censorship programs for people living in authoritarian regimes like those in Russia, China, and Iran. Some commercial VPNs record people’s browsing history, which essentially just shifts data collection from the ISP to the VPN manufacturer. This means that data is no longer protected, and law enforcement can request it from VPN providers in the same way they request ISPs. As a result, choosing a free VPN is generally not a good idea—with some even selling access to your home internet connection. But some VPNs publish no-logs policies and offer third-party audits and other transparency features to try to demonstrate compliance. Now, it seems TikTok’s attempt to block US users is cruel, and so are non-US SIM cards. or no SIM card and VPN may not be a viable path to return to the app with a US TikTok account. But that limitation may only be temporary. In practice, there seems to be little appetite for a permanent ban in the US. And, despite coming up with the idea, President Trump has now said he doesn’t want the app banned. situation,” Trump said in a Truth Social post on Friday. “Wait!”
