How the TikTok Ban Might Backfire

If nobody intervenes before Jan. 19 , TikTok will become impossible to access via an American internet connection.

VPNs have many millions of users across the world who rely on them for things ranging from basic privacy to watching out-of-market sports games.

The global market for them was more than $50 billion in 2023 , according to one market research firm.

A nationwide American ban on TikTok will presage an utter boom time for VPNs, the biggest growth event in the sector’s history.

The durability of that growth will likely depend on how well VPNs function as a work-around.

Many services deny (or try to deny) access to users arriving via VPN.