TikTok Shadowbans: Detecting, Removing, and Preventing Them

Are TikTok shadowbans real? It depends on who you’re asking. If you ask TikTok, it’ll probably say no. But if you ask TikTok creators? They’ll tell you it’s a very real problem on the platform.

If your engagement has dipped suddenly, despite posting the same-quality content you always do during high-engagement periods, you may have been shadowbanned. Shadowbans often manifest in the form of lower engagement because they reduce your reach and visibility on the platform.

How do you navigate the controversial ban? Read on to learn everything you need to know. This guide looks at common signs and causes of a TikTok shadowban, how long it lasts, and how to remove and protect your account from one.

What Is a TikTok Shadowban?

A TikTok shadowban is a form of restriction that limits your account’s reach on the platform. Usually, TikTok quietly limits your content’s visibility on the For You page and in search results, leading to drops in engagement.

TikTok Shadowban Vs. Permanent Ban

A TikTok shadowban is “softer” than a permanent ban. When you’re shadowbanned, you still have access to your account and can post content as you usually do. The only effect will be reduced visibility and reach. On the other hand, a permanent ban is severe. When it occurs, you can’t log in to your account.

A shadowban is also quieter, since TikTok doesn’t notify you if you’ve been restricted. The platform, however, sends notifications for permanent account bans. Unfortunately, this makes it harder to detect a shadowban.

Shadowban Vs. Content Ineligibility

While TikTok hasn’t officially confirmed the existence of shadowbans, it has confirmed something almost similar: content ineligibility.

As with shadowbans, your content won’t appear on users’ For You pages or search results when you have a content ineligibility flag. So, the results are pretty much the same — fewer views, likes, comments, reposts, and shares. Further, both restrictions are quiet, as there’s no official communication from TikTok when they occur.

However, content ineligibility is post-specific. TikTok claims to only limit the affected content’s visibility on the For You Feed (FYF), not your entire account.

Signs You’ve Been Shadowbanned on TikTok

Again, TikTok won’t notify you if you’ve been shadowbanned. So, it may take some time to detect the restriction. Some people don’t even know they’ve been shadowbanned.

That said, there are various indicators of TikTok shadowbanning, including:

• Sudden drops in views and engagements: Shadowbanning reduces your appearance in the For You Feed. Seeing as most TikTok users find content through this feature, the restriction results in fewer views, comments, and shares. You may also notice a stagnation in follower growth, as your content won’t reach new audiences.
• Not showing up in search results: If you search for your account using keywords or hashtags you’ve used and can’t find it, chances are, you’ve been shadowbanned.
• Not showing up on followers’ recommendations: A shadowban doesn’t just affect your reach to new audiences. It can also limit your visibility on followers’ feeds.
• Struggling to upload content: Getting messages like “Processing” or “Under review” whenever you try to upload new TikTok videos could signal shadowbanning. TikTok typically sends such messages when its system detects content that violates its guidelines.

To confirm whether you’ve been shadowbanned:

• Check your analytics: Go to Profile > Menu > TikTok Studio, then to Analytics to view your engagement. A sudden drop in your numbers could indicate shadowbanning. Also, check your Traffic source data. If you have low view counts in the For You Feed, your account may be shadowbanned.
• Search for your videos using a different TikTok account: Create a different TikTok account and search for your recent videos using relevant keywords or hashtags. If you don’t show up at all, you’re likely shadowbanned.
• Ask followers to search for recent videos: Ask friends who follow you to check their Friends tab. If your recent content doesn’t appear across multiple posts, you’ve likely been shadowbanned.
• Check your device and Wi-Fi network: Trouble uploading new content doesn’t always mean you’ve been shadowbanned. Other causes could be issues with your device and network. Try switching them to see if anything changes. If you still get the same error messages, TikTok may have flagged your content.

How Long Does a TikTok shadowban last?

Since TikTok hasn’t confirmed shadowbanning, there’s no “official” communication on how long it lasts. However, creators who’ve experienced the issue say that it can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks.

While it’s not explicitly communicated by TikTok, the exact length of a ban can vary depending on:

• The severity of your violation: Minor violations might result in shorter bans than major infractions.
• Your history: A long history of violations could lengthen your shadowban, or worse, result in a permanent ban.
• Your response: Corrective measures, such as deleting flagged content, can shorten the duration of a shadowban.

Reasons for Getting Shadowbanned on TikTok

TikTok restricts content visibility on the platform for various reasons, including:

Guideline Violation

As with other social media platforms, TikTok outlines and expects users to follow its Community Guidelines. Violating these rules is the top reason for content ineligibility (basically, shadowbanning) and even permanent bans.

Some major violations that could land you in hot water with the TikTok algorithm include:

• Posting content with mature or graphic themes: This includes sexually suggestive, violent, or exploitative posts.
• Promoting crime: The platform removes or suppresses any content that encourages or glorifies hate speech, harassment, bullying, or any form of trafficking. It also restricts posts that provide instructions on committing crimes.
• Trying to legitimize violent or extremist groups: Supporting, sanitizing, or trying to recruit for dangerous groups, such as criminal gangs, often results in content removal or suppression.
• Encouraging dangerous acts: This includes dares, stunts, or challenges that could result in physical, emotional, or mental harm. It also includes content that encourages or promotes any form of self-harm. This isn’t to say that people can’t share their experiences with self-harm; they can, but they have to be mindful not to come off as glorifying or encouraging others to try.
• Posting misleading content: This includes sharing false information and using AI to generate images or videos without disclosing its use.
• Sharing others’ personal information: TikTok suppresses such content as it can result in dangerous behaviors like stalking and identity theft.
• Infringing copyright: Sharing others’ materials without permission can result in a shadowban. TikTok allows you to repost other creators’ content, provided you don’t claim it as your own. To avoid trouble, always credit the original creator and add your unique twist to any post you decide to duet or stitch.

Spammy Behavior

Posting videos every 30 minutes or every hour may seem like a great strategy to get more eyes on your content. However, it’s not.

To TikTok, this might seem like bot behavior or an attempt to manipulate the system, especially if your account is new or if you’re posting content that’s almost identical. The result is, therefore, a restriction on your content.

Using Banned Hashtags

TikTok hasn’t officially released a list of banned hashtags. However, some do limit visibility.

The most obvious are those that suggest your content may be violating the platform’s guidelines. For example, an extremist group’s hashtag or a tag that suggests sexual content could attract the attention of TikTok’s automated moderation systems.

Misused or overused hashtags like #followme can also raise issues with TikTok’s systems. Play it safe by using only hashtags that align with your content.

Managing Multiple TikTok Accounts Using the Same Device and IP Address

While TikTok allows users to create multiple accounts (you can add 3 to 6), doing so can increase your risk of being shadowbanned.

Say you post content that violates the platform’s guidelines in one account and receive a temporary ban. TikTok can flag other accounts associated with your device and IP address and limit their visibility on the For You Feed.

Moderation Errors from TikTok

Shadowbanning can occur by accident. Yes, you read that right. TikTok relies heavily on automated moderation to review content. Unfortunately, automated moderation isn’t always right and can result in unfair shadowbans.

To protect your account, avoid content or hashtags that automated systems might think violate guidelines. For example, you could avoid sexually suggestive language, hashtags related to crime or violence, and sensitive topics like suicide, if possible.

How to Get “Un-Shadowbanned”

Shadowbans are temporary, so many people choose to wait them out. However, this doesn’t mean that you should do nothing.

There are various measures you can take to help your case, including:

Contact TikTok Support

If you suspect your shadowban is the result of a moderation error, contact TikTok’s support team for assistance. To do this:

1. Log in to the affected account.
2. Tap the Profile icon at the bottom.
3. Go to the Menu ☰ button and select Settings and privacy.
4. Tap Report a problem.
5. Select a topic and a sub-topic based on the issue you’re experiencing. For example, if you’re unable to upload videos to TikTok, go to Posts, then Can’t post videos. You’ll get instructions to help you resolve the issues.
6. If the instructions don’t help, tap No to the question “Was this helpful?”
7. Tap the “Need more help?” button for further instructions on contacting support.

While this is a long shot, it doesn’t hurt to try.

Delete Flagged Content

Review your account for content or hashtags that may violate TikTok’s Community Guidelines, and delete them. This isn’t guaranteed to work, but it might reduce your shadowban period.

Take a Break

If you suspect you’ve been shadowbanned for spammy behavior, overusing hashtags, or fake engagement, take a break from posting. This can protect your account from raising further red flags, allowing you to recover from your ban faster.

How to Prevent Future TikTok Shadowbans

It’s better and easier to prevent a TikTok shadowban than to try to recover from one. Here are ways to protect your account:

Follow TikTok’s Community Guidelines

This is the surest way to avoid trouble on TikTok. Always review any TikTok content or planned hashtags against guidelines and avoid anything that violates them.

Avoid content and hashtags that may fall in gray areas as well. Remember, TikTok’s moderation is primarily automated, so it may miscategorize some content even if it’s not in direct violation.

Use Hashtags Wisely

Hashtags can help you grow on TikTok by boosting your visibility in users’ search results. However, this is only possible if you use them appropriately. Abuse them, and they’ll do the exact opposite.

To prevent shadowbanning, focus more on hashtag quality than quantity, ensuring each one aligns with your content. Also, avoid misused hashtags and those that might point to content violations.

Keep Up With TikTok’s Updates

TikTok continually updates its guidelines to promote positivity on the platform. So, you may find its moderation systems flagging content that they may not have in the past.

To protect your account, keep up with all major updates. You can do this by following TikTok’s official accounts and joining creator communities.

Avoid Overposting

Posting too much content too quickly can make your account look spammy, leading to a shadowban. So, only post a few videos per day.

Also, space out content and vary your posting times every day.

Isolate Your TikTok Accounts

As mentioned earlier, a violation on one TikTok account could affect other accounts if you use the same device and IP address. So keep them separate.

One of the best ways to do this is to leverage antidetect phone solutions, like GeeLark. With GeeLark, you can set up a cloud phone for each TikTok account. Each phone has a unique fingerprint, so you never have to worry about TikTok connecting different accounts.

To set up cloud phones:

1. Install GeeLark and log in to your dashboard.
2. Go to New profile to create a cloud phone for your TikTok account. If you have multiple accounts, create multiple profiles to isolate them. Also, add varying proxy details to each new profile.
3. Head to Applications and download TikTok.
4. Log in to your TikTok account(s).

Warm Up Your Account

Spam-like behavior, such as mass following or bulk posting, can trigger shadowbans, especially if you have a new account or if your current one is recovering from a previous ban.

To avoid raising red flags, warm up your account by engaging like a regular user. If you’re unsure how or have multiple accounts, lean on GeelLark for help. Our AI mimics real human behavior when watching videos, liking posts, and saving content, making it seem like you’re actually scrolling and engaging on the platform.

To warm up your TikTok account with GeeLark:

1. Log in to GeeLark.
2. Go to Automation, then Marketplace, and search for the “TikTok AI account warmup” template.
3. Set warm up parameters, including the number of sessions you want per day, your target keywords, and preferred activity times.
4. Verify your settings and confirm automation.

Prevent TikTok Shadowbans With GeeLark

Shadowbans can significantly hurt your engagement and earnings (if you’ve monetized your account). To prevent them, follow TikTok’s Community Guidelines, avoid spammy behavior like overposting, and isolate your accounts (if you have multiple).

GeeLark can help protect your accounts by providing a unique cloud phone for each one. All our cloud phones have a unique fingerprint, reducing the risk of raising red flags. What’s more, you can add unique proxy details to each one to further isolate accounts.

Geelark can also help by automating account warm up after a ban or when you open a new account. Our tool mimics human behavior, so you don’t have to worry about raising bot flags.

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