If your TikTok channel has been getting little attention as of late, you may be a victim of the platform’s famed “shadow ban.”

To what end, though, do these things occur? How can you determine if your account has been impacted? What should you do to prevent being caught in one? To that end, what steps may be taken to have your account reinstated? Down here, you’ll find the solutions to your questions.

What Exactly Is TikTok’s “Shadow Banning” System?

When your TikTok account is disabled or partially blocked without your knowledge, this is known as a “shadow ban.”

This means that your posts will no longer be recommended to you on the For You tab, and you will likely see a precipitous decline in engagement metrics like likes, views, and comments.

TikTok’s system does shadow banning automatically to safeguard users from content that might violate their intellectual property rights, be spam, pose a danger, or be otherwise unsuitable.

In essence, this is TikTok’s method of placing your account on a timeout, which might have unfavourable effects on your account’s exposure and development.

Getting Started with TikTok’s Community Standards

TikTok’s community guidelines are the same as any other social media platform’s when it comes to acceptable behaviour.

TikTok’s Community Guidelines emphasise the app’s commitment to a harassment-free environment that celebrates and values individuality and variety.

Inappropriate content, such as violent or hateful behaviours, is only one of many reasons your videos might be taken down and your account shadow banned.

According to TikTok, the rules are regularly revised to protect its users from emerging threats and behaviours.

Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Shadow Account Suspended on TikTok

While the word “shadow ban” has not yet been used in an official announcement from TikTok, users who break the app’s rules may still face consequences.

For serious or frequent breaches of the Community Guidelines committed on the site, “We will suspend or permanently ban accounts and/or users,” the platform states.

If you’re wondering why your TikTok account has been temporarily disabled, here are a few possible causes:

  • Putting Up Sexual Material

  • Abusive or Harassing Behavior

  • Infringement of Copyright

  • By Mistake

As a first offender, you have posted something that some may find offensive.
The posting of explicit material is explicitly banned by the TikTok Community Guidelines.

Any sort of sexually explicit content, such as nudity or pornography, might result in a shadow ban or permanent suspension from the service.

Keep it G and you’ll stay on TikTok’s family-friendly channel.

Two, because of harassment or bullying
TikTok places a premium on diversity and “individual expression without fear of abuse,” thus any form of bigotry will not be tolerated.

If your material contains what TikTok considers to be hateful comments, posts, or shares, it may not be seen by other users.

In conclusion? Just make fantastic stuff and don’t bother anyone online with your hatred.

Infringement of Copyright, Reason No. 3
It’s not only uncool, it’s unlawful to distribute someone else’s work.

Similarly to other social media sites, TikTok does not tolerate the distribution of information that violates the rights of others.

In other words, it’s a massive no-no to post videos that break or infringe on someone else’s copyrights, trademarks, or intellectual property rights.

Keep being you; that’s the most intriguing thing about you.

Additionally, this blog post, How to Find, Use, and Create TikTok Sounds in 2023, contains other resources for learning about TikTok Sounds (and copyright).

Fourthly, by chance
To determine if videos on TikTok violate the Community Guidelines, the platform uses an automatic moderation system.

TikTok, though, isn’t perfect.

According to an NBC News report, Jewish content makers have complained that “the app is exposing them to a sort of censorship by constantly flagging and deleting their content.”

When trying to automate moderation on a large scale, this is a common issue that arises.

It’s easy for efforts to ban hate speech using technology to backfire, diminishing the voices of communities instead of boosting them.

To what extent can I detect whether my account has been shadow banned on TikTok?

Shadow bans are tough since TikTok won’t tell you that you’ve been banned.

Because of this, account restrictions are commonly ignored.

However, there are a few telltale signs that will reveal whether or not you have been shadow banned:

The For You page or search results do not display any content.

Videos won’t upload (instead, they’ll indicate they’re being reviewed or processed).

A precipitous decline in comments, shares, or popularity

If all three apply, chances are you’ve got a shadow ban on your hands.