A permanent ban from TikTok means that a user’s account has been completely deactivated and removed from the platform. This is the most severe enforcement action TikTok can take against an account. Permanent bans typically occur after multiple violations of TikTok’s community guidelines, or in response to a single egregious violation.
Once an account is permanently banned, the user loses access to the account and all of its content. They can no longer log in, post videos, comment, or interact with other users. All previous videos, followers, comments, and data associated with the account are deleted and become inaccessible. The user is prohibited from ever accessing or regaining their old account.
Loss of Followers and Content
When an account is permanently banned from TikTok, all previously posted content is removed from the platform. This means any videos, photos, captions, comments, likes, and more associated with that account will no longer be accessible to anyone (“Content violations and bans,” 2022).
In addition to losing their own content, a banned user will also lose all of their followers. The follower count immediately drops to zero when a permanent ban takes effect. None of the account’s previous followers will be notified or given a specific reason for the loss of connection. The banned account simply vanishes from the followers’ feeds and lists (“Account safety,” 2022).
This creates a complete break between the banned user’s account and their entire TikTok community. Years of content and follower relationships can disappear instantly with no option to export or save anything beforehand. The effects of losing followers and content can be devastating for users who invested substantial time and effort into building an audience and posting regularly on TikTok.
Inability to Create New Account
When your TikTok account gets permanently banned, you won’t be able to simply create a new account and start fresh. TikTok’s systems will detect if a banned user tries to make a new account and immediately ban that account as well. According to TikTok’s policies, “You can create multiple accounts on TikTok. However, we may restrict or permanently ban your account if you try to get around a permanent ban.”
This makes it very difficult for users who were permanently banned to ever rejoin TikTok with a new account. TikTok ties accounts to devices and IPs, so trying to create a new account from the same phone or WiFi network will result in another ban. The only way around this is to try creating an account using a different device and internet connection, which has mixed results.
In most cases, once your account is permanently banned on TikTok, you won’t be allowed back on the platform. This leads to a complete loss of your previous content, followers, and presence on TikTok.
Appeal Options
If your TikTok account has been permanently banned, you do have the option to appeal the ban, according to TikTok’s support site. When you receive the notification that your account has been banned, there will be an option to tap “Appeal” and follow the on-screen instructions to submit an appeal.
However, the success rate for appealing permanent bans is generally low, as TikTok claims these bans are applied after multiple violations or a major violation of their community guidelines. So appealing likely won’t lead to the ban being overturned unless it was an error on TikTok’s part.
According to user reports on Reddit and other forums, TikTok does occasionally overturn bans after appeal. But it’s rare, and most users say their appeals were rejected. The appeals process seems to be mainly in place to allow users a chance to contest truly mistaken bans.
Why Bans Happen
TikTok has strict guidelines and policies in place to maintain a safe community. Violating these guidelines can result in a permanent ban of your account. According to TikTok’s Community Guidelines, the most common reasons accounts get permanently banned include:
- Sharing inappropriate, abusive, hateful, harassing, or dangerous content
- Violating copyright laws or posting illegal content
- Using bots, fake accounts, or manipulated media
- Threatening violence or harm in videos
- Posting private information without consent
- Impersonating individuals or organizations
- Evading previous suspensions or bans
TikTok aims to foster an inclusive environment and will permanently remove accounts that severely or repeatedly violate their guidelines. Understanding the policies and avoiding harmful content is key to maintaining access to the platform.
Effect on Brands
A ban on TikTok would have major implications for brands and marketers who relied heavily on the platform to connect with younger audiences. According to one source, over 70% of TikTok’s active users are under the age of 30. Without access to TikTok, brands would lose the ability to run influencer campaigns, sponsor branded hashtags and lenses, and gain viral traction from dance and music trends.
Influencers who built their followings and careers through TikTok would also be greatly affected. Their sponsordhip deals and earning potential could decline drastically without a presence on one of the fastest growing social platforms. Brands often partner with creators to tap into their highly-engaged niche audiences. According to one analysis, a TikTok ban could decrease revenue for companies that relied heavily on influencer marketing through the app.
Although painful in the short-term, some analysts argue that losing TikTok could help refocus marketing efforts on platforms like Instagram and YouTube. But the carefree, creative style of TikTok would be hard to replicate elsewhere. Overall, brands would lose access to a uniquely engaged young demographic that keeps TikTok atop the charts for app downloads and growth.
Moving to Other Platforms
Creators who find themselves permanently banned from TikTok can work to rebuild their brand on other platforms. Some popular alternatives include:
Instagram – With over 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram offers features like Reels that mimic TikTok’s short-form video format. Creators can repost TikTok videos as Reels and rebuild their following there.
YouTube – With over 2 billion monthly logged-in users, YouTube remains one of the largest video platforms. Creators can upload longer-form content and take advantage of YouTube’s monetization options.
Facebook – Facebook allows video uploads and live streaming, which creators can leverage to produce similar content to what they posted on TikTok. Facebook provides ways to earn money through advertising and fan subscriptions.
Snapchat – Snapchat has a large young userbase primed for short viral videos. Creators can post to Spotlight or create Snapchat Stories to recapture TikTok fans.
Twitter – Twitter is great for short clips and memes just like TikTok. Creators can drive conversation through tweets and threaded video responses.
While a TikTok ban cuts creators off from that platform’s reach, by diversifying across multiple sites, they can rebuild their brand and regain their audience.
What Still Works After Ban
Even after being permanently banned on TikTok, some features may still be accessible. According to the TikTok Help Center[1], you can still use the messaging feature in the app after being banned. This allows you to continue communicating with your existing contacts on TikTok through direct messaging.
In addition, your profile and uploaded videos will not be immediately deleted after a ban. They will remain visible to other users until you choose to delete your account. So your content and profile may continue being seen for some period of time following a permanent ban.
However, you will not be able to upload any new videos, comment, or otherwise interact on TikTok after a permanent ban goes into effect. Your ability to actively participate on the platform will be severely limited even if some features remain available for a short time.
Overall, a permanent ban cuts off your access to most of TikTok’s features, but messaging and previously posted content may still be accessible temporarily.
[1] https://support.tiktok.com/en/safety-hc/account-and-user-safety/content-violations-and-bans
Ethical Concerns
One ethical concern around permanent TikTok bans is whether they are an excessive punishment in some cases. While bans are sometimes justified for severe violations like illegal content, permanently banning users for minor first offenses could be seen as overly harsh.
Some argue that temporary suspensions or warnings would be more appropriate for minor violations before escalating to permanent bans. According to one source, “19.4% of TikTok videos contain misinformation” (https://www.procon.org/headlines/tiktok-bans-top-3-pros-and-cons/), but a permanent ban may be excessive if a user unknowingly shares some misinformation for the first time.
Permanent bans essentially cut off users’ access to their followers and content library that they’ve built up over time. While bans help address content issues, TikTok may need to consider whether less severe penalties could suffice for first-time or minor offenses.
Conclusion
In summary, getting permanently banned from TikTok can have major consequences. You will lose your account, followers, and all of the content you have posted. It becomes very difficult, if not impossible, to open a new account after receiving a permanent ban. While you can try appealing the ban, success is unlikely. The main takeaway is that violating TikTok’s community guidelines or terms of service enough times can result in a permanent ban, resulting in the complete loss of your presence on the platform.
For individual creators who have built their brand and following on TikTok, a permanent ban means starting over from scratch. Brands also risk losing their audience and investments in building a TikTok presence. While some alternatives like YouTube or Instagram exist, the TikTok audience and algorithm can be hard to replicate elsewhere. Overall, a permanent TikTok ban should be avoided at all costs, as it essentially cuts you off from the platform with very little recourse.