Young consumers are using VPNs to bypass the TikTok ban in the U.S. 

Young consumers are using VPNs to bypass the TikTok ban in the U.S. Young users tell YPulse that Instagram is the top app they’d go to if a ban became official in the states. But some are instead opting to download virtual private networks (VPNs) to continue using TikTok. With VPNs, users can access online services from an “encrypted tunnel” and bypass app blocks. According to ExpressVPN, they saw a 10% week-over-week increase in traffic following the announcement of a potential ban in the U.S. They recorded similar trends in Japan and Australia where it saw a 19% and 41% week-over-week increase in traffic after similar government announcements, while India saw a 22% increase when they shut down the app. VPNs have been a “long popular solution” for people who want to elude restrictions on the internet, but experts say it is not a “magic bullet.” (TechCrunch)