TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion monthly active users. On TikTok, users can create and share short videos set to music. As with other social platforms, TikTok has guidelines that users must follow. If users violate these guidelines, TikTok may block their account either temporarily or permanently.
Account blocking is TikTok’s way of enforcing its community guidelines and maintaining a safe environment on the platform. There are several reasons TikTok may block an account, including spam, illegal or dangerous content, hate speech, bullying, nudity, copyright violations, and underage usage. Getting blocked can be frustrating for users, especially if they don’t understand why it happened or how to get their account back.
In this article, we’ll explore the different types of account blocks on TikTok, reasons accounts may get blocked, how to appeal a block, and tips for avoiding blocks in the first place.
Why TikTok Blocks Accounts
TikTok blocks accounts primarily to enforce its Community Guidelines. These guidelines prohibit certain types of content and behavior, including:
- Nudity and sexual content
- Harmful and dangerous acts
- Hateful ideologies
- Harassment and bullying
- Spam, misinformation, and scams
If TikTok determines an account has severely or repeatedly violated these rules, it may impose restrictions ranging from removing the offending content to banning the account entirely. This is done to maintain a safe, authentic and positive experience across the platform.
Accounts may also be blocked for violating TikTok’s Terms of Service, such as using the platform fraudulently or improperly collecting data.
So in summary, TikTok blocks accounts primarily to enforce its community standards and terms around appropriate content and behavior on the platform.
Types of Blocks
TikTok offers both temporary and permanent options for blocking other users. With a temporary block, the user’s content will be hidden from your view for 24 hours. After that time period, the block is automatically lifted. This can be useful if you just need a short break from seeing someone’s content.
For more persistent blocking, you can permanently block an account. This completely removes the user’s profile, videos, comments, and more from your TikTok experience. They will be unable to interact with your content in any way once permanently blocked. You also won’t show up in their follower list. Permanent blocks do not expire and stay in effect unless you choose to unblock the user.
According to TikTok’s support page, the steps for blocking someone are the same whether you want a temporary or permanent block. The duration is controlled on TikTok’s end. So users don’t have an option to select between a short-term and indefinite block when taking the action. But both choices are available using the standard blocking process.
Overall, TikTok aims to give users control over their feed and interactions. Blocking provides a way to limit contact with unwanted accounts, either for a trial period or on an ongoing basis.
Appealing a Block
If your TikTok account has been blocked, you can appeal the decision directly through the app. Here are the steps to appeal a block:
- Open the notification you received about your account being blocked. This will be in your notifications tab in the app.
- Tap “Appeal” on the notification.
- Select the reason your account was blocked, such as “underage” or “content violation.”
- Follow the instructions to submit an appeal form or verify your age.
- TikTok will review your appeal and respond with a decision. The process may take several days.
- If your appeal is accepted, your account and content will be restored. If it is rejected, your block will remain in effect.
You can only appeal a block once. TikTok recommends providing as much detail as possible in the appeal to increase your chances of success. If your appeal is rejected, you will need to wait out the full block period before your account can be restored.
Avoiding Blocks
There are several ways users can avoid getting blocked on TikTok. According to TikTok’s newsroom, users can enable Restricted Mode, which limits the appearance of potentially objectionable content. Users can also block other accounts so their content no longer shows up. Parental controls allow guardians to restrict who can comment on a teen’s videos.
TikTok recommends being respectful to others, following community guidelines, and avoiding spamming the same content repeatedly. Users should not impersonate others or mislead people about their identity. Sharing illegal, dangerous, or sexually explicit content often results in blocked accounts. According to TikTok’s user safety guide, following the rules helps maintain access to the platform.
Account Deletion
Deleting your TikTok account is different from blocking someone. When you delete your TikTok account, your profile, videos, likes, followers, and all other account information is permanently removed from TikTok’s servers. Your username also becomes available for anyone else to claim.
According to TikTok’s support page, if you delete your account, other users will not be notified. However, if someone tries to visit your profile or content, they will see a “User not found” message instead. This is different from blocking, where a blocked user can still see your profile and videos, but you won’t see any of their activity.
So if you suspect someone deleted their account rather than blocked you, try visiting their profile. An “Account not found” or “This user doesn’t exist” error indicates the account has likely been deleted. You can also search for their username – if it’s available to be claimed by a new user, then the original account has been permanently deleted.
Sources:
https://www.makeuseof.com/tiktok-how-to-tell-deleted-deactivated-account/
https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-know-if-someone-deleted-their-TikTok-or-blocked-me
Restoring a Deleted Account
If your TikTok account has been deleted, either by you or by TikTok, it is possible to restore it in some cases. According to Business Insider, deleted TikTok accounts can be recovered within 30 days of deletion1. To restore your deleted TikTok account:
- Go to TikTok.com and click “Log in”
- Enter your username, email address, or phone number associated with your deleted account
- Select “Forgot password”
- Follow the instructions to reset your password
- Log in with your restored account
If it has been over 30 days since your TikTok account was deleted, unfortunately it cannot be restored. You will have to create a brand new account with a new username.
Creating a New Account
If your account gets permanently banned on TikTok, you may want to create a new account. However, there are some rules around new accounts that you need to be aware of:
According to TikTok’s community guidelines, if your account was banned for severe or repeated violations, TikTok may prohibit you from creating any new accounts (https://support.tiktok.com/en/safety-hc/account-and-user-safety/content-violations-and-bans). So if your violation was minor, you may be allowed to create a new account, but if it was major, you could be permanently banned from the platform.
TikTok can detect if you are creating multiple accounts from the same device and location, and may suspend your new accounts. To reduce the risk of getting caught, it’s recommended to use a different phone number, email, device, and IP address when making a new account after being banned (https://gologin.com/blog/multiple-tiktok-accounts).
Overall, you can try appealing the ban on your original account first before attempting to create a new one. But if you do make a new account, be sure to follow TikTok’s rules closely to avoid getting banned again.
Conclusion
TikTok has policies in place to block accounts that violate their terms of service. Accounts can be temporarily or permanently blocked for things like inappropriate behavior, spam, illegal content, fake accounts, or underage users. Some blocks may be automated while others are done manually after review.
If you find your account blocked, you can appeal the decision through the app and provide additional information. However, certain severe violations will result in permanent blocks. The best way to avoid blocks is to follow all TikTok rules and guidelines closely when using the platform. Deleted accounts can also be restored within 30 days by contacting TikTok support. But repeated or intentional misuse may prevent you from accessing TikTok services going forward.
References
TikTok Help Center. “My Account Was Banned.” https://www.tiktok.com/legal/report/ban-appeal
TikTok Newsroom. “How TikTok Recommends Videos For You.” https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/how-tiktok-recommends-videos-for-you
Cheng, Roger. “TikTok’s Algorithm Can’t Be Trusted.” Forbes, June 2020. https://www.forbes.com/sites/rogerhuang/2020/06/14/tiktoks-algorithm-cant-be-trusted/?sh=3ef4265b28a0
Leskin, Paige. “TikTok Reveals Detailed User Numbers for the First Time.” Business Insider, August 2020. https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-user-numbers-stats-demographics-2020-8
