What is a Shadowban on TikTok?
A shadowban on TikTok is when a user’s content is hidden from appearing in feeds without the user being notified. When shadowbanned, a user’s videos, hashtags, sounds, and profile will have greatly reduced visibility and reach (Source).
Essentially, a shadowban makes it seem like a user is posting normally from their perspective, but their content is not being shown to followers or anyone else (Source). The user is “shadowbanned” without being informed.
TikTok uses shadowbanning as a moderation tool to limit the reach of accounts that may be spamming, violating community guidelines, or exhibiting unusual behavior. By shadowbanning instead of suspending accounts, TikTok can monitor potentially policy-violating accounts more discreetly (Source).
Signs You May Be Shadowbanned
There are several signs that may indicate your TikTok account has been shadowbanned:
Drop in views/likes – One of the most obvious signs is a sudden and unexplained drop in the number of views and likes your videos are getting. If your views decrease by more than 50% for no clear reason, it could mean TikTok has limited your reach.
Comments suddenly stop – If you usually get a steady stream of comments on your videos, but the comments abruptly stop even though your views remain constant, this is a red flag. TikTok may be preventing your content from being seen by most users.
Followers stop increasing – If you notice your follower growth has stagnated for no apparent reason, this may be because TikTok has shadowbanned you, limiting your videos and profile from being discovered by new users.
Posts not showing in hashtags – Check hashtags you commonly use and see if your videos appear under them. Shadowbanned accounts will often have their content excluded from hashtag listings.
Seeing one or more of these changes in your TikTok stats is a good indication your account may have been shadowbanned. The only way to know for sure is to run your username through a shadowban checker.
Why You Might Be Shadowbanned
There are several reasons TikTok may shadowban an account. The most common reasons are:
Violating community guidelines: If your content goes against TikTok’s community guidelines, such as posting hate speech, nudity, or dangerous challenges, you may get shadowbanned. Repeated violations increase the likelihood of a shadowban.
Spam behaviors: Actions like repeatedly posting the same comment, posting unrelated hashtags, or linking out to sketchy websites can appear spammy. Engaging in excessive spamming is a trigger for shadowbans.
Suspicious activity: Anything that seems bots or inauthentic accounts can prompt a shadowban. This includes using third-party apps to boost likes/followers or automate activity.
Copyright infringement: Reposting other creators’ content without permission or posting videos with copyrighted music can lead to shadowbanning due to DMCA takedown requests.
Overall, any behavior that violates TikTok’s terms of service or seems fabricated rather than from a genuine user may cause TikTok to limit your reach. The best way to avoid a shadowban is to follow community guidelines and remain authentic in your engagement.
Checking Your Shadowban Status
There are a few ways to check if your TikTok account has been shadowbanned:
View insights on your posts – Go to your TikTok analytics and look at the views, likes, comments, shares, etc. on your recent posts. If your engagement suddenly dropped significantly, it’s a sign you may be shadowbanned.
Use third party shadowban testing tools – Services like HypeAuditor allow you to enter your TikTok username and analyze your account. They provide an evaluation if your account is likely shadowbanned.
Check hashtag views – Post using some popular hashtags that normally get a lot of views. If your views are extremely low compared to the number of posts with that hashtag, your account may be shadowbanned.
Consistently low engagement and views despite using relevant hashtags are the biggest signs your account is shadowbanned. Testing with third party tools and analytics can help confirm if you are indeed shadowbanned.
Appealing a Shadowban
If your account has been shadowbanned, you can submit an appeal to TikTok directly to request your account be removed from shadowban status. According to TikTok’s support page, here are the steps to appeal a shadowban:
- In the TikTok app, go to your profile page.
- Tap the three dots in the upper right corner.
- Select “Report a problem.”
- Choose “Report account” and explain why you think your account should not be limited.
- Submit the appeal form.
Once you submit an appeal, you’ll need to be patient. It can take some time for TikTok to review ban appeals. Continue to post content as normal while waiting for a response.
To avoid getting shadowbanned again in the future, be sure to carefully review and follow all of TikTok’s community guidelines. Avoid posting duplicate, inappropriate, dangerous or misleading content that could be flagged. Staying on the right side of TikTok’s rules can help your account remain in good standing.
Avoiding a Shadowban
The best way to avoid receiving a shadowban on TikTok is to carefully follow the platform’s community guidelines, avoid posting spam, don’t use copyrighted material without permission, and focus on creating original content.
TikTok has strict rules against posting dangerous or illegal content, hate speech, nudity, and harassment. Staying well within the community guidelines will help your account maintain good standing. It’s important to read and understand TikTok’s rules and terms of service.
Spam tactics like repeatedly posting the exact same content, using irrelevant hashtags, or flooding comments can trigger TikTok’s spam detection algorithms. Post quality content focused on a specific audience rather than shotgun content all over the platform. Engage genuinely with other users rather than auto-commenting or following then unfollowing accounts.
Using copyrighted music, images, or video without permission is a violation of TikTok’s policies. Stick to original content, licensed music, and properly attributed material. TikTok uses audio fingerprinting to detect unauthorized use of copyrighted music.
TikTok rewards originality, so make an effort to create novel, high-quality videos. Offer something unique that viewers won’t find anywhere else. Well-produced original content is less likely to make TikTok’s moderators suspicious.
By understanding and sticking to the platform’s rules, avoiding spam tactics, using only original or licensed material, and focusing on creative content, TikTok creators can stay in good standing and avoid the penalties of a shadowban.
Growing Your Account Safely
To grow your TikTok account safely and avoid getting shadowbanned again, focus on posting consistently with optimal hashtags, engaging with your audience, and collaborating with others.
Post 1-3 high-quality, entertaining videos per day using a mix of trending and niche hashtags so your content surfaces for both broad and targeted audiences (source). Stay on top of the latest trends and challenges. Use relevant hashtags in your captions, but don’t over-tag or spam tags not related to your post.
Make sure to actively engage with your followers. Respond to comments, like and comment on videos from those who engage with you, and go live regularly. Collaborating with other creators through duets, stitches, and shoutouts can also help expose your account to new audiences organically (source).
Most importantly, continue providing value through your videos. Produce creative, interesting content that aligns with TikTok’s community guidelines. If you stick to best practices, you can grow a successful TikTok without risking another shadowban.
Alternatives if You Remain Shadowbanned
If you’ve appealed the shadowban multiple times with no success, you may need to consider alternatives like starting a new account or switching platforms entirely. According to <a href=”https://blog.hootsuite.com/tiktok-shadowban/”>Hootsuite</a>, starting fresh with a new account is one option, as your old account may remain shadowbanned indefinitely. When creating a new account, avoid repeating any of the behaviors that got your old account shadowbanned in the first place.
You can also consider switching to a different short-form video platform like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, or Snapchat Spotlight. These platforms offer similar creative outlets with large built-in audiences you can potentially reach. According to <a href=”https://later.com/blog/tiktok-shadowban/”>Later</a>, consistently appealing a shadowban directly to TikTok support may work eventually, but switching platforms also gives you a fresh start if TikTok remains unresponsive.
In summary, starting a new TikTok account or shifting creative efforts to another platform are alternatives worth considering if your account remains shadowbanned after multiple, good-faith appeals to TikTok support.
Examples of Successful Appeals
There are many stories of people who have successfully gotten their shadowban lifted on TikTok. Here are some examples:
One user on Reddit (source) had their views suddenly plummet. They suspected a shadowban and appealed through the in-app appeal process. After several days, the appeal was accepted and their account was back to normal.
Another Redditor (source) got shadowbanned shortly after posting a controversial video. They deleted the video and sent multiple appeals over 2 weeks until TikTok responded and lifted the ban.
One Quora user (source) had their views suddenly drop to zero. They sent daily appeals and eventually got a response from TikTok support overturning the ban after a week.
The key in all these cases was persistence through the appeal process. Even if appeals went unanswered at first, continued efforts eventually succeeded in getting accounts back to normal.
Summary
Here are the key points covered in this guide on how to check if you are shadowbanned on TikTok and what you can do about it:
Knowing what to look for and taking prompt action by appealing shadowbans can help recover your account and standing on TikTok.
