TikTok shadowbans: What is it and how to get unshadowbanned

If you’ve noticed that your engagement on TikTok has taken a massive dip, you might have been ‘shadowbanned’ on the platform.

As TikTok continues to be the go-to app for viral content, more and more creators are joining the short-form video platform to try to build their presence there.

This means that there are plenty of people who are keeping a close eye on their engagement, and often notice when there is a sharp decrease in likes, views, and sometimes comments.

Some attribute this phenomenon to ‘shadowbans,’ but fixing the issue is not an entirely straightforward process.

What is a shadowban on TikTok?

Shadowbanning refers to a platform or service blocking or partially blocking a user’s visibility or access on a certain site without officially informing them.

It’s a phenomenon seen across multiple different sites, such as Instagram, however, some debate whether shadowbans on TikTok are actually “real.”

You may find that your videos are no longer appearing on people’s For You Pages, leading to a drop in engagement.

Unsplash: Solen Feyissa

TikTok has more than 1 billion users around the world

Why are you shadowbanned on TikTok?

It’s likely you’ll find yourself shadowbanned when your account violates the community guidelines and gets blocked by TikTok itself.

While there has not yet been a definitive reason regarding shadowbans, there is speculation that it is caused by spam, guideline violations, or even copyrighted music.

How to get unshadowbanned on TikTok

If you suspect your videos are being hidden from people’s For You Pages, there are a few steps you can take to try to resolve the issue.

• Switch to a Business Account — By switching to a Business Account on TikTok, you will be able to access much more detailed analytics than you can on a normal account. In theory, doing this will help you establish how people are accessing your videos, which will indicate the root of the problem.
• Delete potential offensive content — If you suspect that your ‘shadowban’ is a result of the videos on your account, you may find that deleting some of the videos containing content TikTok is likely to flag, such as spam or adult content, could help put you back on people’s For You Pages.
• Re-download TikTok — It’s a classic trick, but on the off chance that your performance inconsistency is something to do with the app itself, deleting and reinstalling it can help force any updates you may have missed.
• Clear out your TikTok cache — Clearing your TikTok cache can help fix technical glitches that might be contributing to a shadow ban.

However, it’s worth noting that none of these ‘fixes’ guarantee that the issue will be resolved.

TikTok users are continuously mystified by the concept of shadowbans, but as of yet the platform hasn’t released specific information regarding them.

If you want to learn more about how to use TikTok, you can check out our other guides, including how to duet on TikTok and how to use TikTok Stories.