TikTok is a popular short-form video app used by over 1 billion people. While TikTok can be a great creative outlet, sometimes accounts get banned for breaking platform rules. With over 2 billion downloads worldwide, TikTok bans are not uncommon (statista). While upsetting, getting your TikTok account unbanned is possible by following the right steps.
In this guide, we’ll walk through what to do if your TikTok account gets banned. From filing appeals to creating a new account cautiously, you can work to get your TikTok access back.
Understand Why You Were Banned
If your TikTok account gets banned, the first step is to review TikTok’s community guidelines to understand what content is prohibited on the platform. Some common reasons TikTok bans accounts include:
– Posting sexually explicit or pornographic content (source)
– Sharing content that promotes or glorifies self-harm or suicide (source)
– Threatening violence or promoting terrorist organizations (source)
TikTok prohibits any content that violates local laws, so make sure to consider if any of your posts went against guidelines in your region. If you are unsure exactly why your account was banned, TikTok should send you an email citing their reasoning.
Reviewing the guidelines will help you identify if you inadvertently violated any community rules that led to the ban.
Appeal the Ban
If your account is banned, the first step you should take is to appeal the ban through TikTok’s built-in appeals process. You can do this by going to your profile page and tapping on the “appeal” button. This will open up an appeal form where you can provide additional context about why you believe your account should not have been banned 1.
When submitting an appeal, be sure to be respectful and provide as much detail as possible about why you feel the ban was a mistake. Explain the situation from your perspective and clarify any misunderstandings. You can also attach screenshots or other evidence to back up your claims.
It’s important to be patient during the appeals process as it can take some time for TikTok to thoroughly review ban appeals. The company states it takes content quality and compliance seriously, so a human moderator will need to take a careful look at your account status 1. If your appeal is successful, your account and content will be restored. If not, you may need to wait and then submit another appeal.
Reach Out to TikTok
One of the best ways to try and regain access to your banned TikTok account is to directly contact TikTok support. You can reach out to TikTok via their Contact page at https://www.tiktok.com/about/contact?lang=en to get in touch with their customer support team.
When contacting TikTok support, explain your situation in as much detail as possible. Provide the username for your banned account and specify exactly when you received the ban notice. Describe any posts, comments, or other actions leading up to the ban if you are aware of a possible cause. Ask clarifying questions on why your account was banned and if there is any way the ban can be reversed or appealed.
The more information you provide to TikTok support, the better understanding they will have of your unique situation. Being thorough, polite, and cooperative in your messages can increase your chances of getting your account unbanned or receiving help appealing the decision.
Wait Before Creating a New Account
Creating a new account too soon after being banned may result in that new account also being banned by TikTok. TikTok’s rules state that you should wait a while before creating a new account if your previous account was banned.
According to TikTok’s support article, if your account was permanently banned, you should wait at least 30 days before creating a new account. If your account was temporarily banned, you should wait out the ban period before making a new account. Creating an account during the specified waiting period could result in the new account being automatically banned as well.
It’s best to follow TikTok’s advice and wait the recommended period before making a new account after a ban. Rushing to create a new account right away often leads to it quickly being banned again for ban evasion. Exercise some patience and lay low for a bit before starting fresh.
Create a New Account Carefully
After being banned on TikTok, it’s important to create your new account carefully to avoid getting banned again. Here are some tips:
Use a new email address and phone number that hasn’t been associated with your banned account. TikTok may detect if you try using the same contact information and ban your new account. Consider using a new device as well if you previously used the same phone or tablet.
Avoid posting the same type of content that got your original account banned in the first place. For example, if your old account was banned for nudity or other adult content, do not make the mistake of posting the same inappropriate content again. Read TikTok’s Community Guidelines to understand what type of content is prohibited.
Lay low when first creating your new account. Do not immediately start posting content rapidly. Take time to build up your new account’s reputation first before actively posting.
Use a different username, handle, profile image, and bio so your new account does not appear to be connected to your banned account.
Consider connecting your new account to an influencer agency or brand account to add credibility. This association can help demonstrate your account is legitimate.
In summary, be strategic when setting up your new account after a ban. Avoid anything that ties back to your previous prohibited account or content.
Promote Your New Account
Let fans know on other social platforms about your new account. Post on your Instagram, Twitter, Facebook etc. directing people to follow your new TikTok handle. This allows you to leverage your existing audiences on other platforms.
Ask friends to share and engage with your new content. Have them like, comment, duet, and stitch your videos to help increase engagement. According to TikTok, you can use the Promote feature to boost views and engagement on specific videos you want to promote. This can help expose your content to new audiences and potential followers. See this TikTok help article for more details on how to use the Promote feature.
Follow Best Practices
To avoid getting banned again, it’s important to follow TikTok’s best practices and community guidelines. Here are some tips:
Review and understand TikTok’s community guidelines. Make sure your content doesn’t violate any rules around nudity, harassment, dangerous acts, illegal activities, regulated goods, and more. If you have questions, reach out to TikTok to get clarification.
Engage positively with others on the platform. Don’t attack, bully, or harass other users in your videos, comments, or messages. TikTok aims to foster a welcoming environment.
Properly credit any songs, audio, images, or other content that you did not create yourself. TikTok has tools to credit original creators. Failing to provide credit is considered intellectual property theft.
Sticking to these best practices will help you avoid common mistakes that get accounts banned. Focus on creating original, high-quality content that brings value to others. If you stay within the guidelines, your new account should be secure.
Consider Lessons Learned
Reflecting on what led to your TikTok account getting banned in the first place is an important learning opportunity. Look back on the content you posted – did any of it violate TikTok’s Community Guidelines? Did you receive any warnings or have videos taken down prior to the full ban? Understanding exactly where you crossed the line will help prevent issues in the future.
It’s also wise to take time to build a thoughtful content strategy for your new account. Think through the types of content you want to create and how it aligns with TikTok’s rules. Stay away from overly controversial or risky content and focus on producing original, creative videos that provide value for your audience. Having a plan in place will help your new account thrive while avoiding the mistakes that got your previous one shut down.
As recommended in an article from The New York Times, “What Students Are Saying About Banning TikTok,” it’s important for users to educate themselves on how the platform’s algorithms work and the types of content that could get flagged (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/13/learning/what-students-are-saying-about-banning-tiktok.html). Being mindful of these issues when creating and posting new videos can help avoid trouble.
While a ban can be discouraging, approach it as a fresh start to build an even better and more successful TikTok presence. Learning from past errors is key to creating content that provides value without crossing lines.
Conclusion
Getting banned on TikTok is disappointing and frustrating, but it’s not necessarily the end. As we covered in this article, you have options to appeal a banned account, provide additional context on the violation, and reach out directly to TikTok for reconsideration. While getting unbanned takes some effort, persistence, and patience, it is possible in many cases.
Don’t immediately give up if your account is banned. Take the time to understand why it happened and follow the proper procedures to request an appeal or reset. If those options don’t work after diligent efforts, you may need to start fresh with a new account. When creating a new account, make sure to carefully follow all TikTok rules and guidelines to avoid repeating past mistakes.
In closing, maintaining access to your TikTok account requires awareness of TikTok’s policies, posting content that aligns with their rules, and avoiding actions that could risk suspension or banning. With extra caution and care given to how you operate your account, you can hopefully avoid the banning process altogether. Persistence to fix the issue combined with learning from the experience will give you the best chance of recovering or reestablishing your account.
