In this article, we look at the 5 states and countries where TikTok is banned. You can read about how restrictions on the Chinese short-video application are benefitting competitors like Instagram and YouTube by heading over to our article, Top 20 countries and states which have banned TikTok. We have also discussed how restrictions on TikTok have not just been due to cybersecurity concerns and that there are other reasons as well.
5. Estonia
Status: Partially Banned
Since: August 2020
Estonia’s Information System Authority banned TikTok during its global peak, in as early as 2020, barring its employees from using the Chinese application. Moreover, at least five federal ministries told the government that their officials do not use TikTok. Moreover, TikTok is hardly popular among the locals in the country. Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube are the most used social media platforms in Estonia.
4. Montana, USA
Status: Completely Banned
Since: April 2023
The legislature of Montana voted to enforce a complete ban on TikTok in the state this year. It became the first state in the US to announce a complete ban, while most others have only partially restricted the short-video app. Governor Gionforte, while signing the bill, said he wanted to protect the public from their information being compromised by the Chinese. An estimated 380,000 people in Montana used TikTok at the time of the decision to ban the app, which is more than a third of the state’s total population.
3. Afghanistan
Status: Completely Banned
Since: April 2022
The Taliban-led regime in Afghanistan banned TikTok, along with PUBG, a multiplayer game, for ‘misleading the youth’ and leading them ‘astray’. The government also said it would place a ban on television channels that were airing objectionable content. The ban on TikTok in Afghanistan had little or none to do with cybersecurity concerns we have witnessed in other parts of the world.
2. Iran
Status: Completely Banned
Since: N/A
The Iranian government routinely censors social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook and Telegram, as well as popular websites like YouTube and Netflix. Likewise, TikTok is also banned in Iran since TikTok’s rules and Iranian laws are not compatible.
1. India
Status: Completely Banned
Since: June 2020
India banned TikTok in 2020 as part of several anti-China measures after the two countries’ militaries clashed at the Himalayan border. More than 50 Chinese apps, including TikTok were banned; the government in Delhi claimed that these posed a threat to the security and sovereignty of India. There were more than 150 million users of TikTok in India at that time.
Today, Instagram is the most preferred short-video app in India with at least 230 million active users.
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