History

After China and India exchanged fires and had deadly clashes over a disputed territory of land in Ladakh , a remote valley in the Himalayas , Indian government came up with a proposal of banning 50 plus Chinese apps operating in India , including the popular video streaming app Tik Tok which was introduced initially in China only with the name of Douyin in 2016 , September. Although , this was the second time that the country”s government decided to ban this app and to remove it from google and apple store , but unlike the first time , it appears that the government has no intentions of unbanning it in near future. 

Response on ban by Indian Users

Ever since the ban on immensely popular app Tik Tok was made official in the region by Indian government on June 29, 2020 , the public has been trying really hard to find ways that could help them gain access back to the app. India was one of those countries which had the highest number of Tik Tok users. The removal of the app from google and app stores not only impacted the business of the app but also largely striked the bread and butter of thousands of people in India. Majority of content creators of the app were financially unsound people who tried to earn better through Tik Tok. They created enjoyable content by making good use of the app for audiences and in return earned good to support their families and communities. The ban resulted in pushing them back below the poverty line. Moreover , a lot of distress appeared in Indian audience of Tik Tok as well. They were gloomy to have lost an opportunity of witnessing easily available yet wholesome entertainment. Majority of the public is still waiting and has its fingers crossed for the government to unban the popular app and let its people enjoy and earn through this forum .

Different ways to access Tik Tok in India

For the public, dejected after the placement of ban on the Tik Tok app , there is a happy news that the app can still be accessed using alternative ways. Some of these ways include the following 

VPN

A VPN , standing for Virtual Private Network , is a connection that provides the public an access to private content on the internet typically by forging the location of users. All that is required is to redirect one’s IP address to a country where Tik Tok is still operative. VPNs are both paid and unpaid , but using a paid VPN is more fruitful as it not only provides security but also guarantees user’s access to the particular app or website. So , Indian public still has an opportunity to access the Tik Tok app by subscribing to a paid VPN connection that would cost them not more than 5 dollars per month or 60 dollars annually. The most common and secure VPNs include ExpressVPN , NordVPN , CyberGhost , and SurfShark etc . Here I would like to add that use of unauthorized VPNs is prohibited by governments of most countries , so those who are willing to do so , should do it with their own caution.

Local Alternatives 

Since the ban has been imposed nationwide , there is a very little or in reality zero chance that content creators would still be using the app . As there is no audience on Tik Tok right now therefore content creators are shifting to other local and international alternatives of the app to earn money and to enjoy their fame.Moreover there is also some news that certain variants of the original Tik Tok app such as Tik Tok Lite are still accessible in India. Also , Indian media and government are trying their best to raise awareness among the general public regarding the use of goods, products and things manufactured on a national level. Therefore , in the coming future there is more chance for local apps to flourish.  So , following are the examples of such alternatives available to general public

Mitron TV – Indian Tik Tok App

Chingari – Indian short video app

Dubsmash

Triller

Funimate

Conclusion

Tik Tok was an immensely popular and widely used app in indian region and its ban caused a lot of distress among the general public. General public is very keen to gain access to the app again for which they are ready to go to any extent especially those who have lost their livelihoods due to this ban. Also , in my opinion it is not very wise of the government to ban an important source of people’s income as this may cause anguish among the public and cause them to go against their own government and its policies. In conclusion , for the public who is really eager to use the Tik Tok app again , although it is difficult but not impossible for the public to regain access to the Tik Tok app.