Has your TikTok account faced a ban, leaving you worried about its future? Don’t worry! Understanding the various types of TikTok bans and their reasons is crucial before taking any action. In this blog, we will explore all types of TikTok bans, their effects on your account, as well as ways to solve all these problems. Stay tuned for practical solutions that can have your TikTok account unbanned in as little as five minutes!
Table of Contents
Types of TikTok bans & reasons for getting banned
Before you start to get your account unbanned, it’s essential to understand the types of TikTok bans. There are 4 types of TikTok bans, which are:
Shadowban
A “shadowban” takes place when TikTok limits the exposure of your content on its platform. It is an informal expression used within the TikTok community because there is no official notification when it occurs. During a shadowban, your TikTok videos will not be displayed on users’ For You page, which is one of the primary channels for discovering content on the TikTok app. This can be especially harmful for brands, influencers, and individual users who rely on TikTok as a source of income.
Reasons for getting shadowbanned:
- Engaging in spammy behaviors: This involves activities like excessive posting in a short period, mass following of other users, or leaving too many comments.
- Minor violations of community guidelines: This occurs when you break some of TikTok’s rules, like sharing false information, promoting gambling apps, or revealing personal information. These actions are considered minor but can still lead to consequences like a shadowban.
- Algorithmic issues: TikTok’s algorithm occasionally detects specific topics—along with associated hashtags and keywords—as potentially dangerous, leading to shadowbans.
Temporary ban
In contrast to shadowbans, TikTok is very clear about transparent bans and their causes. As a result, you will receive a clear notification through a banner if you are hit with a temporary ban.
A TikTok account may face a temporary ban if it violates the community guidelines. The name “temporary” implies that these bans are not permanent and will be lifted after a certain period, depending on the seriousness of the violation and how many times it has occurred.
Temporary bans can involve restrictions on specific activities such as video uploads, comments, and direct messaging. Typically, these bans last for a duration of 24 to 48 hours only. In some cases, a user’s account may be entirely restricted to a “view-only experience,” allowing them to only view other posts. This view-only ban can last from 72 hours up to an entire week.
Underage ban
Underage accounts belong to users who are under the age of 13. A ban for underage accounts is a potentially permanent restriction that could result in the deletion of the account after 113 days. TikTok has implemented a minimum age requirement for users to be able to post content. As a consequence of this policy, there has been a surge in account bans on TikTok due to users being underage. Some users who provided inaccurate information during the sign-up process are now unaware of the date of birth they used for their TikTok account, and there is a possibility that it falls into the underage category. As a result, TikTok is left with no option but to ban these accounts.
Permanent ban
Once an account is permanently banned, users will no longer have access to the platform or any of its features, except for viewing the notification about the ban. In severe cases, TikTok may even block the banned user’s device to prevent them from creating new accounts.
Reasons for being banned:
1. Your age or other qualifications do not meet the minimum requirements stated in TikTok’s Terms of Service.
2. The account is deceitfully impersonating another individual or entity.
3. Your account has committed a severe violation, including but not limited to:
- Posting, promoting, or facilitating youth exploitation or child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
- Promoting or threatening violence.
- Posting or promoting content depicting non-consensual sex acts, such as rape or molestation.
- Posting content that facilitates human trafficking.
- Posting content depicting real-world torture.
- Creating or using another TikTok account to intentionally evade restrictions or a permanent ban imposed on another account.
4. Your account has surpassed the strike threshold for multiple violations within a policy or feature.
5. Multiple infringements of TikTok’s Intellectual Property Policy.
TikTok treats permanent bans very seriously, as there have been no reported cases of rightfully issued permanent bans being reversed. The only possibility of resolving the situation is if TikTok mistakenly banned your brand’s account. If you suspect this to be the case, you can initiate an appeal process using the TikTok mobile app.
Commenting and streaming ban
If you discover that you are unable to comment or live-stream on TikTok, your account may have been subjected to a ban, which prohibits you from engaging in these activities. Such bans are enforced when an account violates TikTok’s content policies. For instance, if one of your comments is flagged as offensive by the algorithms or reported as offensive by other users, or if your live stream includes content that is deemed offensive by either people or the algorithms, your account may be restricted from commenting and live-streaming.
How does getting banned affect your TikTok account?
Businesses that get banned on TikTok can face significant challenges, and here are several reasons why:
- Loss of audience: TikTok has a massive user base of over a billion people worldwide. A permanent ban on TikTok means losing their existing followers and potential new customers who could have discovered their brand through the platform.
- Reduced brand visibility: TikTok’s reach is enormous, so getting banned can seriously hurt your brand’s online visibility. It may lead to a decline in their online presence and lower brand recognition.
- Damage to brand reputation: Being banned from TikTok or other social media platforms can harm your brand’s reputation. People might view their business as untrustworthy, unethical, or out of touch, resulting in negative perceptions and decreased customer loyalty.
- Loss of revenue: TikTok offers lucrative opportunities for brand collaborations and sponsored content. Getting banned from TikTok can lead to lost revenue, missed business opportunities, and decreased profits for your brands.
- Difficulty in reaching younger audiences: TikTok is hugely popular among younger audiences. Getting banned from the platform can make it challenging for your brands to reach this demographic through other social media channels. Even if they create a new account, building a following from scratch and creating engaging content can be a laborious task.
- Missed viral trends: TikTok is known for its viral trends and challenges. If your brands get banned, they miss out on participating in these trends, which means losing opportunities to engage with their audience and showcase their brand’s personality.
- Difficulty in standing out: TikTok is a crowded platform, and being banned or flagged incorrectly can make it hard for your brands to stand out from the competition. Without the platform’s algorithms and discoverability, it can be a struggle to get noticed.
How to get your TikTok account unbanned?
For most users, having a shadowbanned or temporarily banned TikTok account may not be a major concern. Temporary bans have a set duration, and once you receive a banner notification, the ban can last anywhere from 24 hours to one week, depending on the specifics of your case. However, for businesses, even a few days of downtime can lead to substantial losses in profits. It is crucial to take swift action to get your TikTok account unbanned as quickly as possible.
Lift a shadowban
To remove a shadowban from your TikTok account, begin by cleaning up your profile feed. Before deleting anything, make sure to back up your content.
Be cautious of any TikTok quotes, clips, or captions that could be seen as offensive, sexually suggestive, or linked to alcohol, gambling, tobacco, or illegal substances. Additionally, check your notifications for any removed videos that might have been overlooked. Violation notifications should include the date of the offending video and the specific policy it violated.
Examining the presence of any violations can provide insights into the reason behind your TikTok account being shadowbanned. Moving forward, review videos that are similar in topic, and format, or contain the same keywords. If you find any problematic ones, delete them and ensure you adhere to the community guidelines while using TikTok.
If these don’t work, try the following steps:
- Reinstall the TikTok app: Uninstall and then reinstall the app, launching it with a clear cache. This may help remove the shadowban.
- Reduce user interactions: Minimize the frequency of your comments, posts, and TikTok questions to avoid being flagged for spam-like behavior
- Contact TikTok’s customer support: Use the in-app “Report a problem” link to reach out to TikTok’s support team and explain your situation
Lift a temporary ban
Temporary bans are occasionally imposed for multiple violations, but regular users need not worry. TikTok will inform you about the duration of the ban or the restoration of limited features through the violation notification. Nevertheless, for brands, simply waiting for a temporary ban to end is not acceptable, especially if your brand is striving to raise awareness
To expedite the ban removal process, you need to submit an appeal through the app. You can submit appeals immediately upon receiving the ban notification. Also, you can send an appeal for individually removed videos to avoid being banned in the first place.
Similar to a shadowban, it is crucial to adhere to TikTok’s guidelines to prevent accumulating further violations. Failing to do so may result in your client’s TikTok account being permanently banned.
Lift an underage ban
To appeal an underage TikTok ban, you must initiate the appeal process within 113 days (or 23 days for US residents). Submit the appeal through the app, but remember that underage bans will only be lifted if the account owner is genuinely old enough to use TikTok. If you have been mistakenly subjected to an underage ban, you will need to provide a photo of your ID to TikTok for verification of your correct date of birth.
Lift a permanent ban
Once your TikTok account is permanently banned, your only recourse is to submit an appeal, providing a comprehensive explanation of your case. You can either contact TikTok Customer Support or email an appeal to TikTok.
Contact TikTok Customer Support
Step 1. Tap Setting and privacy on your profile page
Step 2. Tap Report a problem
Step 3. Click Submit a problem at the end of the page
Step 4. Write a feedback
Email straight to TikTok
If you are in a hurry to regain access to your banned TikTok account or have not received a response from customer support within 6-8 hours, you can consider sending an appeal via email to TikTok. However, it is essential to ensure that your appeal aligns with TikTok’s guidelines and that you believe the ban is merely a misunderstanding. In your email, provide a detailed explanation of your claims, include as much relevant information as possible, and explain why you believe the account banning is unjust. It is crucial to refrain from using offensive language and maintain a polite tone. Below are some primary operational email addresses of TikTok for your reference:
How long does it take to get your TikTok account unbanned?
The time it takes for TikTok to respond to your appeal can be influenced by various factors.
Typically, the review and conclusion of appeals can range from 24 to 72 hours. However, in some cases, it may take TikTok up to a week or even a month to reach a final decision.
How to prevent your TikTok account from getting banned?
Building buzz and going viral on TikTok requires a lot of work. For this reason, wouldn’t it be great if we could prevent our accounts from being banned in the first place? What can we do to achieve that? Instead of providing a list of things not to do on TikTok, it would be simpler to give you a list of actions to take to avoid getting banned:
- Always be considerate of others when posting content.
- Show respect towards fellow users and the TikTok community.
- Take the time to thoroughly read the TikTok community guidelines, especially if you intend to use TikTok more seriously
However, here’s a brief list of actions that are likely to result in getting banned on TikTok sooner rather than later:
- Be very cautious about including minors: Never share any videos that suggest abuse, harm, exploitation, or putting people under 18 in danger.
- Avoid sharing or doing dangerous stunts that could lead to injury or worse. Don’t take part in risky challenges.
- Stay away from harmful topics like suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, and illegal activities. Stick to content that suits your client’s audience.
- Be mindful of others’ experiences: Never post or comment on anything that could be seen as bullying or harassment. Avoid promoting violent or hateful behavior.
- Don’t post excessively, promote follower-selling services, or use multiple accounts for fake engagement. There are better and safer ways to gain followers.
- Respect the intellectual property of others. Don’t post content that violates copyrights or trademarks. Be careful when making parodies, product reviews, or reaction videos related to others’ intellectual property.
FAQs
How long does it take to get my TikTok account unbanned?
The process of unbanning a TikTok account through appeals typically takes about five working days. However, the actual duration may vary depending on factors like the number of appeals received from other users.
Why did my account get banned even when I did not violate any rules?
If your TikTok account got banned without any valid reason, it could be due to a possible flaw or error in the app’s algorithm. If you are certain that you haven’t violated TikTok’s community guidelines, submit an appeal right away to have your ban lifted.
Is it possible for TikTok to ban your IP address?
Indeed, TikTok can ban your device’s IP address if you consistently engage in severe violations of the platform’s community guidelines. If you encounter an IP ban, you can appeal it by directly contacting their customer support team.
What happens to my data if my account is banned?
If your account is permanently banned, your data remains secure, and you can still download it to your computer. However, it’s essential to download your data promptly because TikTok will delete user data after the legally required period has elapsed.
Can I create a new account to work around the previously banned account?
Although TikTok allows users to have more than one account, it’s essential to know that creating a new account to escape restrictions from a banned one is not allowed. If your account was banned for a severe violation, the best step is to appeal the decision. If you still decide to make a new account, be sure to follow all the rules carefully and hope that TikTok doesn’t consider it an attempt to get around the previous account’s restrictions and keep it unbanned.
What are TikTok Strikes and when will they disappear?
When you break the rules on TikTok, you get a strike on your account. If you get too many strikes, your account can be permanently banned. Each strike stays on your account for 90 days, but even if a strike expires, it won’t matter if your account is already permanently banned. So, it’s crucial to follow the guidelines and avoid accumulating strikes to keep your TikTok account unbanned.
