FAQ: A possible TikTok ban in the U.S.

It's possible you landed on this article because you’ve become aware of U.S. government discussions about potentially banning TikTok. Discussions have also occurred in other areas, such as in the UK and amongst the European Commission.

While we don’t have definitive answers to any of these questions, we’ve done our best to share what could happen in different scenarios. We’ll keep this FAQ updated as the situation evolves.

If TikTok is banned in the U.S.…

…will my TikTok mobile app work?

In the U.S.: From what we understand, the ban would result in the TikTok app being removed from the various app stores. This would also prevent app updates, rendering the app less and less useful over time. If it’s not criminally banned, it could be that TikTok will still be accessible by anyone who currently has it on their device.

In countries where TikTok is not banned: There shouldn’t be a reason your TikTok account would stop working if it’s banned only in the U.S.

…will I still be able to publish to the TikTok account I have connected through Buffer?

If the use of TikTok becomes illegal in the United States, it's unlikely that any Buffer customer would have access to posting through Buffer to TikTok.

…will my use of TikTok through Buffer change?

If the use of TikTok doesn’t become illegal in the U.S. and if you still have your TikTok account connected to Buffer, all of the features you have available for TikTok now should also be available in the future. However, if it does become illegal, it's likely that you'll not longer have access to publish to TikTok through Buffer.

…will my privacy be compromised due to Buffer supporting a TikTok integration, even if I don’t have TikTok connected?

Rest assured! If you don’t connect a TikTok account, there isn’t a way for TikTok to access your data through Buffer. The only data TikTok (or any other social network) can access is the data permitted when someone connects a social channel from that network.

…will I still have access to my TikTok posts?

If TikTok doesn’t become illegal: your TikTok posts will be accessible for as long as your TikTok account is connected to Buffer. Once you disconnect any social channel from Buffer, your post analytics and all other data pertaining to that social channel is deleted.

If the support of TikTok is criminalized: we will likely need to disconnect all customer TikTok accounts, deleting all stored information.

…will I be able to connect a TikTok account that I hadn’t connected prior to the ban?

If the use of TikTok doesn’t become illegal in the U.S., you should still be able to connect an existing TikTok account following the ban. If it does become illegal, connecting TikTok accounts will no longer be possible.

…will I still be able to market my business on TikTok through Buffer in and outside of the U.S.?

If the support of TikTok is legal, Buffer will likely be able to continue to support you in the same way we have in the past. That said, it’s unclear how things will evolve, and we’ll keep this article updated as we know more.