TikTok creators are posting videos promoting ways to get around a looming shutdown of the app in the U.S., which could spell trouble for Apple, Google and other American tech companies required by law to enforce the ban or risk potentially billions in fines.
With less than two weeks to go before the ban kicks in, many influencers are recommending that users change their smartphone settings or get a virtual private network (VPN) to make it appear as though they’re logging in from other countries, like Canada or the U.K., where TikTok is permitted. Others are suggesting "sideloading,” the process of downloading TikTok from outside Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store, or using TikTok on a web browser instead.
Though some creators acknowledge that these technical workarounds may not ultimately work, many appear confident — even desperate — as they try to avoid losing all of their followers and a platform that nearly one in five American teens say they use "almost constantly.”
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