Suspended TikTok accounts have become increasingly common as the platform grows. TikTok may suspend accounts for violations of community guidelines, suspicious activity, or spam/fake engagement. Having your account suspended can be frustrating, but there are ways to get it reinstated or create a new account.
Account suspensions are usually temporary, but repeated or severe violations can lead to permanent suspension. It’s important to understand why your account was suspended in the first place before trying to appeal it. This article will provide an overview of what to do if your TikTok account gets suspended.
Understand Why Your Account Was Suspended
TikTok suspends accounts for violating its Community Guidelines. Common reasons for suspension include:
- Posting content that violates TikTok’s policies against nudity, pornography, or sexually explicit content
- Spamming or artificially inflating views, likes, comments, etc.
- Impersonating other users or organizations
- Sharing misinformation, dangerous content, or hate speech
- Violating copyrights or trademarks
- Using multiple fake accounts
TikTok aims to promote an inclusive environment and may suspend accounts that do not uphold its community values. Review your recent activity and posts to identify any potential violations. TikTok should have sent an email citing their rationale for suspension.
Check Your Email
If your TikTok account gets suspended, TikTok will send an email notifying you of the suspension to the email associated with your account. This suspension email will provide details on why your account was suspended as well as instructions for appealing the suspension if you believe it was a mistake.
According to TikTok’s support article, some of the common reasons for account suspensions include: violating community guidelines, having multiple accounts, spamming others, or unsafe account activity. The suspension email should cite the specific reason.
It’s important to carefully review the email from TikTok, as it will contain the information you need to submit an appeal, including links or forms. TikTok states that you must appeal within 30 days of receiving the suspension email, so don’t delay in checking your email and initiating the appeal process if you want your account reinstated.
Appeal the Suspension
If you believe your TikTok account was wrongly suspended, you can appeal the suspension directly within the app or website. When your account is suspended, TikTok should send an email notifying you of the suspension reason. Carefully review the reason provided and prepare your appeal.
To submit an appeal, go to the notifications page in the TikTok app or website. There will be an option to “Appeal” the suspension. The appeals form will ask you to provide an explanation of why you believe the suspension was a mistake.
Make your appeal polite, detailed and factual. Explain why you do not believe you violated TikTok’s terms of service. Provide any evidence you have to back up your claims. According to TikTok’s policies, new accounts created to get around a suspension will also be removed, so do not attempt to create a new account while appealing.1
TikTok states that it takes suspension appeals seriously and will respond within 24 hours. However, some users report much longer response times. Be patient as you wait for their decision on your appeal.
Wait for TikTok’s Response
Once you submit an appeal, you’ll need to wait for TikTok to review it and make a decision. The timeframe for hearing back can vary.
According to TikTok’s support page, it may take up to 30 days for them to respond to an appeal. However, many users report getting a response within 1-2 weeks. On Reddit, some users said TikTok responded to their appeals in as little as 5-10 hours (source).
The response time likely depends on the volume of appeals TikTok is processing and the complexity of your individual case. Have patience during this process and avoid repeatedly contacting TikTok, as that is unlikely to speed up their response.
Check your email regularly, including junk/spam folders. TikTok will notify you by email once they’ve reviewed your appeal and made a decision on whether to reinstate your account.
Create a New Account
If your appeal is unsuccessful, TikTok may allow you to create a brand new account. However, be aware that TikTok tracks devices and IP addresses, so you may find your new account gets suspended as well if you try to create it on the same device or network.
To avoid this, use a different device, change your IP address through a VPN, and register your new account with a new email address. TikTok recommends waiting a certain period before creating a new account after a ban, often 24 hours at a minimum.
You’ll also want to avoid the behavior that got your original account suspended in the first place. Read through TikTok’s community guidelines again and make sure your content follows the rules. Focus on creating original, high-quality videos that engage your audience. Building up your following again may take time and effort.
According to TikTok’s support site, “Creating a new account after your account has been banned for a severe violation” can lead to penalties on both accounts, so proceed with caution. Overall, be patient, make better choices, and learn from your past mistakes when starting fresh.
Avoid Future Suspensions
To avoid having your TikTok account suspended again in the future, be mindful of TikTok’s community guidelines and avoid posting content that could be seen as objectionable or harmful. Here are some tips:
- Post uplifting, fun, and informative content. Avoid anything vulgar, dangerous, or provocative that could violate TikTok’s policies (https://try.commentsold.com/blog/business-operations/social-account-suspension-what-to-do-and-how-to-avoid/).
- Do not post content showing risky or harmful behavior, especially anything involving minors. Be mindful of privacy and safety.
- Make sure you have permission to use any content you did not create yourself. Avoid copyright violations.
- Do not buy views, likes, comments, or followers from third-party providers, as this violates TikTok’s terms.
- Do not spam others with unwanted messages, videos, or engagement.
Staying within community guidelines, being respectful of others, and focusing on creating high-quality original content is the best way to maintain a positive reputation on TikTok and avoid further issues.
Use Another Platform
If you find that your TikTok account suspension will not be reversed, you may consider moving to another platform instead. Two of the biggest alternatives are YouTube and Instagram, which have their own short-form video features that can help you reach a similar audience as TikTok.
YouTube Shorts allows you to create brief videos up to 60 seconds long that are optimized for mobile viewing and sharing. YouTube has over 2 billion monthly users, so moving there can provide immense visibility. The platform is very video-focused compared to Instagram.
Instagram Reels enables 15-60 second multi-clip videos that can be set to music and augmented with effects. Reels has quickly become a popular TikTok alternative thanks to Instagram’s large existing user base. The platform overall is more focused on photos than YouTube, but Reels provides a solid short-form video option.
Evaluating these major platforms can help determine where your content and brand might resonate most outside of TikTok. Their large built-in audiences give you the chance to rebuild your following. With some reworking of your video approach for each platform’s format, you can achieve continued success.
Contact TikTok Support
If you believe your account was wrongly suspended, you can get in touch with TikTok’s support team directly for help. Here are some tips for contacting TikTok support about an account suspension:
Go to the TikTok Help Center and click on the option for appealing account bans or suspensions. This will take you to a form where you can explain your situation and request a review of your suspension.
Make sure to provide as much detail as possible in the appeal form, including your username, email, and reasons why you believe the suspension was a mistake. Be polite and professional in your communication.
You can also try reaching out on TikTok’s Twitter support account @TikTokSupport or Facebook page. Explain your issue briefly and ask for assistance.
For fastest support, access TikTok’s live chat feature within the app by going to your profile, tapping the 3 dots icon in the top right, choosing “Report a problem” and then “Chat with us.” This allows you to communicate directly with a TikTok staff member.
Be patient as it may take some time to receive a response, but continuing to reach out politely may help get your issue resolved. Providing clear information will assist TikTok in reviewing your suspension appeal.
Conclusion
In summary, if your TikTok account gets suspended, the first steps are to understand why it happened and appeal the suspension if you believe it was a mistake. Be sure to check your email for details from TikTok. If the appeal is rejected, you’ll have to either wait out the suspension period or create a new account and be more careful about following TikTok’s rules. Consider using another platform in the meantime if TikTok is an important outlet for you. As a last resort, you can try contacting TikTok support. The key is being patient and persistent if you want to regain access to your account. With some effort, you should be able to resolve the suspension and get back to creating TikTok videos.
