How a TikTok ban in the US could be felt around the world

Would a ban really mean the end of TikTok in the US?

Users can likely find workarounds to access TikTok, said Assoc Prof Lee of SUSS.

For instance, users can mask their location using a virtual private network (VPN), though this could violate TikTok’s terms of service.

Users can also bypass the ban by installing a foreign SIM card in their phones, or by using alternative app stores.

TikTok is also blocked in Iran, Nepal, Afghanistan, Somalia and most prominently India.

New Delhi banned the app nearly four years ago, shutting out about 200 million users – the most outside China at the time.

The government cited privacy concerns and said Chinese apps threatened India’s sovereignty and security.

Based on the Indian experience, a ban would be disruptive at the beginning, but users would likely move to other platforms over the next few years, said RSIS’ Mr Faizal, who studies geopolitical competition and digital technologies.

Yet the context is different: There was stronger support for a TikTok ban in India, which has been embroiled in a long-running territorial dispute with China at their border.

“Not everyone in the US agrees with their government that TikTok is a security threat,” Mr Faizal added.