Not only US: 9 countries that have already banned TikTok

The popular social network TikTok may cease to operate in the United States this Sunday, January 19, 2025. This will happen if a federal ban on the use of the app comes into effect. According to preliminary information, users who try to open the app will receive a message explaining the situation and offering them the opportunity to download their data.

This ban could be a serious blow to the US users, who number about 170 million. At the same time, TikTok's administration assures that if the ban is lifted, the service will be able to quickly resume its work in the country. Still, the United States is not the first country to ban TikTok. Earlier, a number of other countries made the same decision.

If the United States indeed bans TikTok, it could set a precedent for other countries. In particular, the UK, Australia, and EU countries may move from partial restrictions to full blocking.

Some states, such as Kenya, are considering tightening regulation of the platform instead of a complete ban. Such decisions may affect the future of TikTok in the world.

Which countries have already banned TikTok

Afghanistan

The Afghan authorities banned TikTok in 2022, claiming that it had a negative impact on young people.

Albania

In Albania, the application was banned in December 2024 due to increased violence among teenagers. There was even a case related to the social network.

India

The largest ban in the country was the blocking of TikTok in 2020. The reason was the deterioration of relations with China, as well as concerns about the security of citizens' data. This decision affected about 200 million users in the country.

Jordan

In Jordan, TikTok was banned in 2022 after protests that led to the death of a police officer. The government said the platform failed to control calls for violence.

Kyrgyzstan

In Kyrgyzstan, the app was blocked in 2023 due to a threat to children's mental health.

Nepal

Nepal has decided to completely shut down TikTok in November 2023, as the government believes it harms social harmony and causes tension in society.

Senegal

In Senegal, TikTok was banned in August 2023 due to concerns that the platform was being used to spread extremist ideas.

Somalia

In Somalia, TikTok and Telegram were blocked in 2023 to limit the spread of "horrific content."

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan banned TikTok back in 2021, claiming that the company violated laws on personal data storage.

Partial bans of TikTok: US, EU and others

In addition to outright bans, many countries have imposed restrictions on the use of TikTok at the state level. Among them are the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia, and most countries of the European Union. There, the officials were prohibited from using TikTok on their devices due to national security risks.

The closure of TikTok in different countries has had a significant impact on the lives of users. Many bloggers who made money on the platform lost their main source of income. At the same time, the restrictions contributed to the growing popularity of other services such as Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.

In countries where TikTok has been banned, users often use VPNs to bypass the blocking and continue accessing content.

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