Will you still be able to use TikTok?

Is TikTok secure?

TikTok is a security nightmare. With the Chinese government standing behind it, your personal data is almost certainly at risk. Analysts have discovered that the app is designed to gather the user’s data and send it to TikTok. Would you sleep well knowing that they can read your messages, view pictures, go through your contacts, and snoop on everything you do online?

Of course, everyone is free to choose the service they want to use, so if you decide to use TikTok, do so cautiously and take all the necessary security measures.

How to unblock TikTok

We strongly recommend avoiding TikTok. If you still want to unblock TikTok, however, your best bet is a VPN (Virtual Private Network). When enabled, it encrypts your traffic and masks your IP address. That way, nobody can see what you do online. With a VPN, you can connect to a server located outside the US and continue using the app. Here’s how:

1. Download and install NordVPN.
2. Launch the app and create an account.
3. In the main window of the app, you will see a list of servers. Select one in a country where TikTok is available to use.
4. Access your TikTok account from any country.

Do I still need a VPN if Microsoft buys TikTok?

After consulting with President Trump, Microsoft has announced it intends to purchase TikTok services in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, would keep its operations in other markets.

What’s the right answer?
Have an American company like Microsoft take over TikTok.
Win-win.
Keeps competition alive and data out of the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) August 1, 2020

Does that mean that the security concerns will vanish after Microsoft takes over TikTok? We wouldn’t bet on it. Microsoft is suspected of collaborating with the National Security Agency (NSA) and opening backdoors to its services. They are essentially buying a powerful surveillance platform. It would be too tempting for Microsoft not to snoop on TikTok users and collect their personal data, especially when the social media giant has millions of consumers in the US.

NordVPN has a strict no-logs policy, so it doesn’t track, collect, or share your private information with third parties. The app will still collect user data, but its use will not be detected or blocked by third parties.

UPDATE. After this article was released, a new company called Oracle expressed interest in buying TikTok. However, it’s now unclear which of the two buyers are more suspect. Oracle was created in the 70’s as a CIA-backed project. The company is known for working closely with US intelligence and once even called NSA’s domestic spying program “essential.”

While users are concerned that Chinese government might be collecting their personal data, passing TikTok to Oracle is not likely to guarantee any more privacy for millions of Americans.

How much time is left until the TikTok ban?

Trump told reporters at the White House that, if TikTok is not purchased, the ban will come into force on September 15. While Microsoft is already negotiating with TikTok, it’s too early to predict if the deal is actually going to happen.

TikTok users are now left with uncertainty, and it’s unclear how the app is going to operate in the US after September 15. Either way, it won’t be the same. If you end up having to delete TikTok, however, it's a simple process.

However, many people enjoy TikTok, and we understand why! It's a fun app with millions of incredibly creative people working hard to produce entertaining videos. If you're one of them, why not get in touch? We love working with TikTok influencers to promote cybersecurity and help make great content.

Access your favorite apps and take cybersecurity into your own hands with NordVPN.