You’ve probably been seeing the word “shadowban” thrown about a lot lately on social media, but what does it actually mean? and how exactly can one escape this trap?
I will clear up all the doubts you have in this blog!
How To Get Unshadowbanned On TikTok
You can do a lot of things to get your account unshadowbanned from TikTok, including upgrading to a pro account, removing the offending video, and reinstalling the app, among many others.
I will now examine each of these points in more detail.
Switch To Pro Account
Upgrading to a pro account is a quick and simple method to have access to detailed analytics and discover the root cause of your declining engagement.
Going from a normal account to a pro one is easy; just follow these quick steps:
Step 1 — Login to your TikTok profile
Step 2 — Tap on the 3-line menu on the top right corner of your screen
Step 3 — Now, go to Settings and Privacy and tap on Manage Account
Step 4 — Lastly, tap on Switch to Business Account and follow the on-screen instructions!
Once you’ve created a business account, you can begin tracking your videos’ performance in order to determine which ones have had a decline in views and then take corrective measures.
Uninstall and Reinstall TikTok
This is one more simple way to get your account unshadowbanned from the site.
By uninstalling and reinstalling the TikTok app from the relevant app store or platform store, you can restore the app to its original, working state.
Another advantage of reinstalling the software is that it will download the most recent version of the app, fixing any bugs that might be the reason you have been shadowbanned from the platform.
Delete Your Latest TikTok Video
If you were just shadowbanned from the platform, the most recent video that you submitted is most likely the reason why you were penalized in this manner. It’s possible that your latest upload broke some of the guidelines set by the platform, which is why TikTok barred you from using its website.
In case you feel that your recent TikTok video is not violating any TikTok’s guidelines, you can just re-upload that same video after uninstalling and reinstalling the app!
Update Your TikTok Profile
Changing your username, profile picture, and bio on the platform is another fast fix to get yourself unshadowbanned.
If your profile information includes any kind of harsh or abusive words, updating it can help bring your account back to life on the network.
Similarly, if TikTok has banned your profile because of sexual or otherwise adult content in your display photo, updating this could help unban your account.
Keep Patience and Wait
These days, a TikTok account can be shadowbanned for generally up to two weeks, which means that throughout that time period, all you need to do is be patient and wait for TikTok to remove the ban.
There are times when this period is even less than 72 hours, which means that if you are fortunate, the ban will be removed sooner.
So if you fall into the “shadowbanned accounts” category, the most important thing to do in this situation is to be patient and keep hoping that TikTok would make a decision more quickly!
Raise a TikTok Support Ticket
If you don’t believe you’ve broken any of the guidelines for using the platform in any way, the first thing you should do is get in touch with the TikTok support team and submit a ticket about the problem you’re having.
Be sure that your message is clear and contains all of the relevant information. TikTok will normally get back to you within a few business days after you have filed your request; but, there are instances in which it may take longer than a week to do so.
How Do I Know If I’m Shadowbanned On TikTok?
TikTok does not notify you or issue you any alerts when you are shadowbanned from the platform.
When your videos have no engagement at all or you notice a sudden decline in views, likes, and shares, I’d say that this is the first and most obvious sign that you have been shadowbanned from the platform.
When this occurs, it is probably because TikTok shadowbanned your account on the site, as when you get banned on the platform, your videos won’t reach the For You page of other TikTok users and as a result, your TikTok video doesn’t receive the correct traction.
How to Know if Your TikTok Account Is Permanently Banned?
One of the worst and most severe penalties one can receive on the platform must be a permanent ban.
If your past videos have been reported frequently by other users, or if you have repeatedly violated the site’s community guidelines, it can lead to a permanent ban on the platform.
And yet, how might one know about this? A notification reading “Your account was permanently banned due to multiple violations of our Community Guidelines” will appear on your screen when your account is permanently banned from TikTok.
If you believe you haven’t broken any platform rules but were nonetheless banned, you should definitely contact TikTok support and raise a ticket.
Reasons: Why Does Someone Gets Shadowbanned On TikTok?
Regarding the reasons a person might have been shadowbanned on the platform, there could be a variety of causes. I will be examining each of these reasons individually:
#1 — Spammy Behavior
A few instances of spam behavior on the network include posting too many videos at once, going on a liking spree, or sending too many direct messages all at once. If TikTok notices any such behavior on your profile, the platform will put a shadowban your account.
So here the solution is pretty simple — DO NOT SPAM!
#2 — Suspicious Bot Activity
In order to prevent the use of bots, TikTok flags accounts that appear to be automated. The question is, what exactly is a bot activity? — This is pretty similar to spammy behavior actually.
TikTok will flag your account as suspicious and eventually ban it if you post an excessive number of videos in a short period of time or comment on many videos without watching them all the way through.
#3 — Posting Inappropriate Content
TikTok like every other social media platform has defined rules and restrictions that it expects its content creator to abide by without any fail. Here is the list of things that are flagged as inappropriate on the platform:
- Dangerous acts and challenges.
- Nudity or promoting of sexual activity.
- Content that encourages suicide or self-harm.
- Harassment and bullying.
- Hateful language.
- Violent graphics and/or content that promotes or encourages violence.
- Using abusive language.
- Featuring the use of banned weapons or showcasing illegal activities.
- Copyright and trademark infringement.
Source: TikTok’s Terms and Conditions
Including any of the aforementioned in your content or videos will almost certainly result in your video being flagged on the platform and your account being shadowbanned.
#4 — Reported By Many Other Users
Your chances of getting a shadowban from TikTok increase significantly if other users or influencers or your followers on the platform report your videos.
I’ve made a list of possible reasons why other users have reported your video:
- Your content violated some TikTok community guidelines
- You have copied someone else content without their permission
- Your video spreads some kind of misinformation
- Your content consists of some copyrighted music/audio, etc.
#5 — Hate Speech/Abusive Language
TikTok has a zero-tolerance policy for offensive language, hate speech, and content that is intended to provoke or incite violence against any group or individual.
If your video/content was flagged on the platform, it’s probably because you included an illegal element in the video. I’d say, never in a TikTok say anything against any race, religion and avoid doing political commentary.
How Long Does A TikTok Shadowban Last?
There isn’t a clear answer to this, unfortunately. The period of the shadowban cannot be between 1 day and 2 weeks! Giving a precise figure would therefore not be possible.
The length of your TikTok shadow ban can vary depending on a number of variables, including the severity of your violation and how long it takes the support team to examine and decide, among many others.
Thus, the only course of action in this situation is to have patience and wait for the shadowban to be lifted from your profile.
Now that you know what might lead to a shadowban on TikTok, you can take the necessary precautions to avoid one, and if you ever do find yourself in this situation, I’ve prepared with you all the necessary solutions.
