In the last two decades, social media platforms have become increasingly popular across the globe. Not only do they allow you to connect with your family and friends conveniently, but they also provide endless entertainment to pass your free time.
According to recent statistics, around 64% of the world’s population now uses social media. TikTok is one of the most widely used examples of these platforms, which is known for viral trends and short-form videos.
If you’re also a TikTok user, you might have already heard people talking about using a VPN for this platform. But what is a VPN for TikTok and why do you need one? Let’s find out.
What is a VPN?
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a privacy tool that changes your IP address and encrypts your data before it leaves your device. It creates a secure connection between your device and the internet and allows you to access online content anonymously.
Example:
Let’s suppose you’re sending a text message to one of your friends on TikTok, and it says “Hey! How are you? ” If you use a VPN, it’ll encrypt this message and turn it into something unintelligible like “pesGb3vgW3Hf32fnBY6wp+pPrz2BBL+GIOOWg/Ba7JA=”.
After that, your message will use the secure connection that the VPN has established to reach its destination. The VPN then will decrypt the message, so that your friend can read it.
If some malicious online actor intercepts this message while it’s being transferred on the internet, they’ll only get the encrypted text. So, they won’t be able to read or make any sense of your message.
Additionally, a VPN also masks your IP address, which means it prevents your ISP (Internet Service Provider), TikTok, and other online services from tracking your real location.
Why Use a VPN for TikTok?
Now that you understand what a VPN is and how it works, let’s discuss its importance while using TikTok or any other social platform.
Bypass Bans and Restrictions
One of the biggest reasons why using a VPN for TikTok is a smart move is that it allows you to bypass local bans and restrictions. Over the years, many countries have banned this application due to multiple reasons, including security concerns and political disputes.
If you’re living in one of these countries, VPNs will allow you to access and use TikTok easily. That’s because their primary function is to let you switch your location. They offer a wide range of servers from different countries that you can connect to.
Once you’ve selected the desired server and turned the VPN on, it’ll make it seem like you’re using the internet from that country. This way, you’ll be able to bypass all location restrictions and use TikTok for both watching and uploading content.
Access Location-Restricted Content
If you’re an avid social media user, you might already know that these applications have location-restricted content. For example, some TikTok influencers create targeted content and block certain countries.
It allows them to restrict specific audiences from viewing their content due to different reasons, such as language barriers and copyright issues. If you want to see content that’s blocked in your country, you can use a VPN and connect to that country’s server.
Quick Tip: As we’re talking about content restriction, why not use a VPN for streaming services like Netflix to access your favorite movies and TV shows that aren’t available in your country? In fact, many people use VPNs just for this purpose.
Improve Privacy
Did you know that almost all major social media platforms have a detailed profile of every user’s online activity? They collect every type of data they can about their users, including their location and browsing habits.
The main reason why social media platforms monitor all activities of their users is to offer personalized ads, which is the main source of income for them. However, recording everything feels like an invasion of privacy for many users, and if you’re one of them, you can minimize it by using a VPN.
As mentioned already, a VPN will change your IP address, which TikTok and other platforms use to determine your location. It simply means that the platform you’re using through a VPN won’t be able to identify your real location.
Important Note: Make sure that you also turn off the location permission on your device for TikTok. It’ll prevent the app from accessing your approximate location through other methods like GPS.
Remove Ads
Almost all premium VPN tools come with a built-in ad blocker. It enables you to keep annoying ads from popping up on your screen while using TikTok. Additionally, an ad blocker can also protect you from phishing scams and unsafe connections to malicious websites. It adds an extra layer of security and helps you ensure that your time on TikTok is safe and fun.
Avoid Throttling
Watching and uploading video content on TikTok and other social platforms can eat up a whole lot of your bandwidth. Due to that increased consumption, many ISPs intentionally slow down the internet connection for their users, and it’s called bandwidth throttling.
It can be extremely frustrating, but again, you can avoid it by using a reliable VPN service. It allows you to use the internet anonymously and prevent your ISP from detecting your TikTok usage. So, they won’t be able to limit your internet speed.
Enhance Security
A VPN can also help you avoid falling victim to unwanted cyberattacks and data breaches. It hides your actual IP address and encrypts your data, which makes it extremely hard for cybercriminals to target your device and retrieve information.
Although it’s not foolproof, as modern hackers now use sophisticated techniques to steal encryption keys, it can still add a strong layer of protection against common cyber threats. Therefore, using a VPN is a better option to ensure your online security than not using one at all.
Premium Vs Free VPNs
You can find both paid and free VPN tools on the market. While it’s tempting to opt for a free option, it’s not advisable. It can be counterintuitive because a free VPN itself collects user data and sells it to third parties in order to earn money.
Additionally, they typically offer only a couple of servers to choose from, which makes it difficult to find the right one based on your needs. Another reason why you don’t want to use a free VPN is that they usually have data restriction and speed cap policies in place.
Whereas, a premium VPN service doesn’t have any of these issues. Other than offering a wide range of servers to use, they also follow a zero-logs policy to make sure none of your information is being tracked.
If you’re looking for a reliable option, you can check out this detailed Cybernews guide on the best VPN for TikTok. It’ll help you choose the right VPN based on your unique needs.
Final Words
A VPN is a powerful privacy tool that offers a vast array of benefits. From hiding your real location and offering access to location-restricted content to enhancing security and blocking ads, it can greatly improve your TikTok experience.
Lastly, don’t forget to opt for a premium VPN tool because you don’t want to rely on a free service that claims to protect your privacy but violates it itself.