Despite widespread speculation that virtual private networks, or VPNs, could be used to circumvent a nationwide ban on TikTok, few users are reporting having much success with technological loopholes. (UPDATE: TikTok says it is “restoring service”—read more here.)

To pull it off, the law targets a wide swath of U.S.-based partners that help bring TikTok to users, rendering most easy workarounds such as using a virtual private network or changing a phone's country settings moot or difficult to use, experts told Reuters.

Demand for VPNs surge. Throughout the week of January 13, 2025, as the TikTok ban increased in likelihood, millions of Americans frantically searched for ways to keep access to th

American users were temporarily banned on Sunday. Users couldn’t even circumvent the ban with a VPN. Service was restored by the end of the day.