Where is TikTok banned in 2025 and why?

As of February 2025, TikTok, the popular short-form video-sharing app owned by China's ByteDance, is banned or restricted in several countries due to concerns over data privacy, national security, and content moderation.

In April 2024, former US President Joe Biden signed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA), mandating ByteDance to divest its U.S. TikTok operations by January 19, 2025, or face a nationwide ban.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld this law in January 2025, leading to TikTok's suspension in the country. However, President Donald Trump, inaugurated on January 20, 2025, issued an executive order granting a 75-day reprieve to explore potential solutions, including a sale to U.S. entities.

Although the app was not restored in the U.S. until February 13, it risks a complete ban if it is not sold after 90 days.

Beyond the US-TikTok brouhaha, TikTok has been unavailable in India for a little over two years now. Along with 58 other Chinese apps, the country cited national security threats as its primary reason.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban government on the other hand banned TikTok in 2022, stating that the platform's content was misleading the younger generation and did not align with Islamic laws. Iran followed suit in 2022, along with other social media platforms, due to concerns over the spread of misinformation and anti-government content.

Although China is the birth country, the international version of TikTok is not allowed. Users are rather encouraged to use Douyin, the local version which is believed to protect Chinese users from inappropriate or politically motivated content.