If you are experiencing a low level of views and engagement on TikTok, there is a possibility that you may be banned.
You can quickly go viral and become a TikTok star by getting likes, views and video shares. However, while TikTok can easily be your chance to achieve fame, it can also take away your audience or, worse, limit your reach on the app if you don't follow its rules.
This limited scope is called shadowbanning. If you are a TikTok user and have never heard of it, this article is for you.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about what a TikTok shadow ban is, how to avoid it, and some helpful tips on how to get “unshadowbanned” (if you've already been shadowbanned on TikTok).
What is a TikTok Shadowban
A TikTok shadowban is an unofficial ban from the platform where your visibility has been significantly reduced, but you have not been notified. This is why tit differs from an actual ban and uses the word "shadow".
As a result, your videos will stop appearing on the TikTok (FYP) “For You” page at the same rate as before. It's like having the spotlight on you and then taking it back without warning.
Shadowbans often go unnoticed until another user who luckily stumbled upon the video points it out.
You will experience a sudden decrease in reach and commitments for your posts. Therefore, the likes, views and shares decrease.
Then again, you may not be banished from the shadows. Unfortunately, you may naturally lose your audience.
If you have been banished from the shadows, it does not mean that you are permanently banished. A shadowban is only temporary.
Shadowbanning is not a new concept in the social media space. Other platforms have also been accused of doing the same, although it's usually not something users can always spot directly.
For TikTok, the same is true. There is a possibility that the loss of your popularity is due to a shadowban, but it could also be due to a drop in the quality of your content compared to other creators. But a telltale sign is when your content no longer appears in the For You feed.
TikTok hasn't released a formal explanation on shadowbanning techniques.
However, what makes the most sense is the shadowbans app to people for creating TikTok videos that violate community guidelines. These include producing content that contains nudity, drugs, hate speech or even copyrighted music, fake news, and so on.
Second, the company says it could reduce visibility on certain types of content such as "spam, videos under review, or videos that could be considered shocking or depict things that could be shocking to a general audience."
Shadow bans can be reserved for content that falls into a gray area where moderators don't want to issue a removal or temporary ban. So instead, the scope of the post is limited instead.
TikTok has several application levels. This includes temporary bans, limiting accounts to a view-only experience for a period of time, and penalties for the account. You can also get a permanent ban. However, creators receive notifications of this in their Account Updates section, including an account violation record in their Inbox.
How can I remove my Shadowban
If your TikTok account has been banned, there are several things you can do to save the day.
Here are some tips on how to get "unshadowbanned" on TikTok:
Uninstall and reinstall TikTok
The first thing you should do is delete your recent video anyway.
If that doesn't work, try uninstalling and reinstalling the TikTok app. Sometimes, it may be that your app just needs an update to get back fully functional.
If you are sure it does not violate the guidelines, repost the video and ta-da! You have the engagement you need.
Switch to a Pro account
Maybe you haven't been banished from the shadows and need to focus on your analysis instead.
Similar to Instagram, TikTok offers its users a way to check account analytics. This way, you can easily track how much your engagement has increased or decreased. Using this can also help you find out how to expand your audience.
Don't post content that goes against community guidelines
Producing videos that violate TikTok's publishing guidelines can extend your shadowban or even get your account permanently banned. an extensive list of all banned content on the platform that could cause your account to be suspended or permanently banned.
On top of that, you may also want to lean on creating content that takes you higher in the algorithm, thus gaining more views. You can figure this out by checking your video analytics.
Avoid TikTok's spam behavior
You may think that it is harmless to increase followers by following an overwhelming number of people on TikTok in a short time. Well, this type of spam behavior can actually get you banned, so slow down with subsequent actions.
How to know if your TikTok account is permanently banned
As mentioned above, continually posting and sharing content against TikTok community guidelines is bad for your account. In addition to getting shadowbans, you can also be permanently banned.
But how do you know if your TikTok account has been banned? Is simple. The app will notify you that your account has been banned. It will also explain the reason behind it.
Because my TikTok account is permanently banned
Previously, TikTok had to pay over $ 5 million in compensation because the app apparently went against the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. Since then, many accounts have been banned to protect children's privacy.
If you have not been able to verify your age, even though you are already of age, you may have blocked your account permanently.
Aside from that, you may have posted content that went against TikTok community rules and guidelines. If this has happened multiple times, it could lead to a permanent ban. At this point, it will be difficult to recover your account. But don't worry, there is still some hope.
Here are two steps you can take to recover your banned TikTok account.
Contact TikTok customer support
After your account has been banned, you can contact TikTok customer support. From there, you'll have to wait a day or two to get your account back after receiving an email from TikTok.
Check your age
By providing TikTok with legal documents that support your stated age, you have a good chance of getting your account back.
Make sure your valid ID is government-issued to expedite the process.
