A suspended TikTok account is one that has been temporarily or permanently deactivated by TikTok for violating the platform’s community guidelines. The account owner is blocked from accessing or posting to their TikTok account during the suspension period. Getting suspended can be frustrating, especially for TikTok creators who rely on the platform. The goal of this article is to explain why TikTok accounts get suspended, provide tips for appealing the suspension, and give advice to avoid future suspensions.
Why TikTok Accounts Get Suspended
There are several main reasons TikTok may suspend an account, including:
- Copyright violations – Posting content that infringes on someone else’s copyrighted material can lead to suspension. This includes reposting videos or music without permission. According to TikTok’s support article, accounts may be suspended if they “repeatedly infringe upon others’ copyrights” (1).
- Community guidelines violations – Accounts that violate TikTok’s community guidelines around things like nudity, harassment, hate speech, illegal activities, and dangerous content may be suspended. Severe or repeated violations often result in suspension (1).
- Impersonation – Pretending to be someone else by using their name, brand, or other intellectual property can lead to suspension. TikTok aims to prevent impersonation and fraud (1).
- Artificial traffic inflation – Using bots or other methods to artificially inflate traffic and engagement metrics goes against TikTok’s policies and may warrant suspension (1).
- Illegal activities – Content that promotes illegal drugs, violence, or criminal activities may result in suspension (1).
It’s important to read and understand TikTok’s community guidelines to avoid behaviors that could risk suspension.
Appeal Suspension
If your TikTok account has been suspended, the first step is to appeal the suspension through TikTok’s appeal form. According to TikTok’s Help Center, you can submit an appeal by tapping “Submit an appeal” in the app and following the instructions provided (TikTok Help Center). The TikTok ads account suspension page also states that you must file an appeal to reactivate a suspended account, which can be done by submitting a customer support ticket (TikTok For Business).
To submit an appeal, go to your profile page in the TikTok app and tap the three dots icon in the upper right corner. Select “Report a problem” and then “Appeal account suspension.” This will open up the appeal form where you can explain why you believe your account suspension should be reversed and provide any supporting details.
It’s important to be polite, honest, and straightforward in your appeal. Demonstrating that you understand why your account was suspended and explaining how you will avoid violations in the future can help get your appeal approved. However, there is no guarantee that submitting an appeal will lead to your account being unsuspended.
Wait for Review
After submitting your appeal, you’ll need to wait for TikTok’s review team to investigate and make a decision. This process can take some time. According to Reddit users, appeal reviews can take anywhere from 24 hours to over a month depending on the complexity of the case.
TikTok does not provide an expected timeframe for when you can expect to hear back after submitting an appeal. However, based on anecdotal reports, it seems most people receive a response within 1-2 weeks. Cases involving policy violations like underage users, dangerous acts, or hate speech may require more thorough review.
While waiting, be patient and don’t submit multiple appeals for the same issue as this can slow down the process. You’ll receive an email notification as soon as a decision has been made on your appeal. If it’s been over 2 weeks, you may want to submit a follow up inquiry, but avoid harassing the support team.
Provide Additional Information
If your initial appeal to unsuspend your TikTok account is rejected, you may need to provide supplemental information to further support your appeal. Here are some tips:
- Respond promptly to any requests from TikTok for additional details or clarification. Provide any documentation they request that shows you did not violate their terms of service.
- Clearly and thoroughly explain the context around any content in question. For example, if your video was reported for inappropriate content, explain the educational, artistic, or other purpose of the content.
- Be polite and constructive in your communications. Hostile or vague responses may hurt your appeal.
- If there were technical issues, like another user falsely reporting your account, provide screenshots or other proof of the problem.
- Highlight any past positive history your account has had on the platform, such as lack of previous violations.
- Note any valued contributions you provide to the TikTok community through your account.
- Emphasize your willingness to cooperate with TikTok’s policies moving forward.
Providing prompt, polite, and detailed supplemental information can help demonstrate your account should be unsuspended. Make your case clearly and provide supporting evidence.
Try Alternate Account
While waiting for your appeal review, you may want to try creating an alternate account on TikTok. This can allow you to continue using the platform while your main account is suspended. However, be very careful not to violate any rules with the new account, as TikTok may ban devices or IP addresses associated with violations.
To create a new account, you’ll need to use a different email address and phone number than your suspended account. Make sure to avoid reusing the same profile photo, username, or handle. TikTok’s systems may detect these similarities and automatically suspend the new account.
Post original, non-violative content that follows all TikTok’s community guidelines. Build up an audience with this account just in case your appeal is unsuccessful. But be sure to let TikTok know in your appeal if you have already created an alternate account.
While TikTok does not explicitly prohibit creating a new account when suspended, it cautions that ban evasion or repeat offenses may lead to a device, IP, or permanent account ban. So tread carefully and fully reform any behavior that led to suspension.
Avoid Future Suspensions
To avoid having your TikTok account suspended in the future, it’s important to be mindful of TikTok’s community guidelines and terms of service. Here are some tips to avoid violating policies that could result in another suspension:
Carefully review prohibited content: Be familiar with the types of content and activities prohibited by TikTok, such as nudity, illegal activities, hate speech, harassment, dangerous challenges, and spam. Avoid posting anything that could be construed as violating these rules.
Moderate your comments: Stay on top of the comments on your videos. Delete any comments that violate policies or could provoke community guideline violations. You can also turn comments off on select videos.
Steer clear of controversial or risky challenges: Don’t participate in or promote any dangerous challenges or trends. While challenges can help grow your audience, make sure you verify they are safe and constructive.
Don’t try to game the system: Using bots, fake accounts, or other tricks to artificially boost your presence can lead to detection. Focus on creating authentic content that your real audience will value.
Per TikTok’s guidelines, being proactive about safety, security, and authenticity is key to maintaining access to your account. If issues do come up, be responsive to TikTok’s feedback.
Reconsider Your Content
If your TikTok account has been suspended, it’s important to take time to reconsider if your content violated any of TikTok’s community guidelines or terms of service. Some common reasons for suspension include:
- Posting content that promotes dangerous acts that may lead to harm.
- Sharing spam, misleading information, or scams.
- Posting illegal or regulated goods or services.
- Violating someone’s privacy rights or impersonating others.
- Posting content that attacks, dehumanizes, or sexually objectifies others.
Carefully review TikTok’s detailed list of community guidelines and prohibited content. Consider if any of your videos could potentially violate these rules, even if unintentionally. It’s important to be mindful that your intent may not match how others interpret your content.
You can also review TikTok’s appeals process and provide additional context that clarifies your intent, if you believe your content has been misunderstood. However, if violations are confirmed, it’s best to learn from the experience and adjust your approach going forward.
Build Your Brand Elsewhere
While waiting for your TikTok account to be unsuspended, it is important to continue building your brand and audience on other platforms. Cross-platform growth is key for any social media influencer or brand today. Do not put all your eggs in one basket with just TikTok.
Consider actively growing your presence on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter during this time. Engage with your audience and create content tailored to each platform. Collaborate with other creators to reach new audiences. Use this period to experiment with content formats and ideas you may not have had time for when managing your TikTok account.
According to a Retail Drive article, over 75% of marketers expect to increase spending on influencer marketing in 2023 even if TikTok faces bans (source). This underscores the importance of diversifying across social platforms. Do not rely solely on TikTok to build your personal brand as an influencer or business.
By focusing energy on growing your presence elsewhere while waiting, you can potentially reach new audiences, strengthen engagement, and set yourself up for greater success if your TikTok account is unsuspended.
Conclusion
In summary, if your TikTok account gets suspended, the first step is to appeal the suspension through the app and provide as much context and information as possible. While waiting for TikTok’s review, consider creating an alternate account and be very thoughtful about the type of content you post to avoid future suspensions.
The appeal review process may take some time, so be patient. If the appeal is rejected, take time to reflect on your content strategy and brand image across platforms. Building your brand on other social networks can help diversify your audience. With strategic adjustments to the type of content you produce, you can successfully return to TikTok in compliance with community guidelines.
The key is learning from the experience, recalibrating your approach, and putting your best foot forward if given a second chance. Handled properly, an account suspension doesn’t have to mean the end. Stay positive, get creative, and focus on your vision.
