As one government after another cracks down on Chinese applications like TikTok, it seems that many are seeking out the best VPNs to circumvent existing or future bans

"Around the world, a growing number of governments are trying to control what information their citizens have access to," said Harold Lee, vice president of ExpressVPN, in a press release last week "Because of this, VPNs are being used by many people around the world to access blocked sites and services"

"The VPN is being used by many governments to block access to their websites and services

In June, India was the first government to enact a permanent ban on TikTok as part of a crackdown on Chinese mobile apps following clashes on the Sino-Indian border in the Himalayas

On August 1, US President Donald Trump announced a nationwide ban on TikTok that will take effect within 45 days unless TikTok is sold to a US company, citing concerns that TikTok may be used by the Chinese government to spy on users in Western countries

However, many people are not happy about the potential loss of access to TikTok; according to ExpressVPN, after President Trump's announcement regarding the TikTok ban, the number of Americans accessing the company's website jumped 10% and " web traffic surged"

Using a VPN, TikTok users could make it appear as if they were in another country, potentially circumventing the video-sharing app's domestic ban

As for other countries that are considering or have already banned TikTok, ExpressVPN has seen increased traffic to the website in Japan (19%), Australia (41%), Hong Kong (10%), and India (22%)

"In the case of TikTok in the US, it remains to be seen how it might be banned Our team continues to follow the situation closely to ensure that ExpressVPN users continue to protect their digital rights and have access to a free and open Internet"

"It's interesting that access to social media platforms, rather than security or protection purposes, is what is driving people to use VPNs," ESET security specialist Jake Moore told Tom's Guide

"This is a typical way to bypass borders, but on the contrary, it teaches users about privacy and improves security in the process," Moore added" The convenience of security sometimes needs to be puppeted by another mechanism in order to move the majority of the public toward better protection"