As states and regions enact TikTok bans, Many state universities in the United States have implemented policies to prohibit the use of TikTok on their campus networks. Texas is among the more than thirty states in the United States that have implemented regulations regarding the utilization of TikTok. The complaints primarily pertain to the app’s purported connections with China.
Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, claims that TikTok, a Chinese company that employs members of the Chinese Communist Party, collects a lot of data from users’ devices, including details about their internet usage. This statement was made in the context of announcing the ban on TikTok.
Other restrictions, such as the one that Montana Governor Greg Gianforte recently enacted, have wide-ranging effects and expressly forbid TikTok from operating in the state. The aforementioned legislation is scheduled to come into force in the upcoming year.
However, in the case of Texas and many other states, these restrictions primarily apply to government entities. The agencies have been assigned the responsibility of eradicating the utilization of the platform on devices issued by the state, as well as personal devices employed for state-related activities, and Wi-Fi networks. As such the agencies encompass state universities.
On the other side, the bans implemented in Montana and Texas have encountered significant opposition both online and in court, which argues that the legislation imposes a form of prior restraint on freedom of speech, thereby infringing upon the rights protected by the First Amendment. Which consequently, Montanans are denied the opportunity to engage in a platform that serves as a primary means of accessing up-to-date information. This lawsuit contends that the proposed ban on TikTok would cause significant and irreversible damage to its users.
The imposition of bans on faculty members at universities such as UTD can have significant disruptive effects and potentially harm their careers. The Knight First Amendment Institute has recently submitted a request to accelerate a lawsuit against the Texas law. The institute argues that the law has negatively impacted professors’ research capabilities on a prominent social media platform, particularly on topics of concern to lawmakers, such as disinformation.
It is expected that faculty members in Texas refrain from utilizing TikTok on any device designated for university-related activities, such as school-issued laptops and phones. This poses challenges when attempting to conduct extensive research on the platform or reference specific videos in an academic setting. In a supporting brief, Jacqueline Vickery, a professor at the University of North Texas specializing in online media literacy, expressed the significant challenges that the TikTok ban has placed on her teaching and research endeavors.
However, the response from college students, who are the primary users of the app, has been relatively muted. According to students, the prevailing sentiment can be described as a collective expression of exasperation.
If you can’t access TikTok, here are some of the few tricks the interviewed students used to get around the ban
Use a VPN.
A VPN (virtual private network) is a service that encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through a server in another location. This can help you to bypass geoblocks and access TikTok even if it is banned in your country.
Use a proxy server.
A proxy server is a server that acts as an intermediary between your device and the internet. When you connect to a proxy server, your internet traffic is routed through the server before it reaches its destination. This can help you to bypass geoblocks and access TikTok even if it is banned in your country.
Use a Tor browser
Tor is a free and open-source software that allows you to browse the internet anonymously. When you use Tor, your internet traffic is routed through a network of volunteer-run servers, which makes it difficult for anyone to track your online activity. This can help you to bypass geoblocks and access TikTok, even if it is banned in your country.
Change your DNS settings.
Your DNS (Domain Name System) is responsible for translating domain names (like www.tiktok.com) into IP addresses (like 149.154.169.192). If you change your DNS settings, you can point your device to a DNS server that is located in a country where TikTok is not banned. This can help you to access TikTok even if it is banned in your country.
It is important to note that using a VPN, proxy server, or Tor browser can slow down your internet connection. Additionally, some network providers may block these services as it is always first to non to always work along with the law or move to a different region or If you are still unable to access TikTok after trying these methods, you can contact your network provider and request that they lift the ban.
Here are some additional tips to keep in mind while getting around the Tiktok ban:
- Make sure that you are using a reliable VPN or proxy server. There are many free VPNs and proxy servers available, but some of them are not secure or reliable.
- Be careful about what information you share online. When you are using a VPN or proxy server, your internet traffic is encrypted, but your device’s IP address is still visible to the websites and apps that you visit.
- Keep your software up to date. VPNs and proxy servers are constantly being updated to bypass new blocks and restrictions. Make sure that you are using the latest version of your VPN or proxy server software.
- Read reviews on the apps you are planning to download and make sure to download straight from the App Store, Play store and official stores of the Apps.
- Be law abiding as this content isn’t endorsing getting around bans but strictly keeping you in loop with tech trends and latest updates.
