Despite widespread speculation that virtual private networks, or VPNs, could be used to circumvent a nationwide ban on TikTok, few users are reporting having much success with technological loopholes. (UPDATE: TikTok says it is “restoring service”—read more here.)

To pull it off, the law targets a wide swath of U.S.-based partners that help bring TikTok to users, rendering most easy workarounds such as using a virtual private network or changing a phone's country settings moot or difficult to use, experts told Reuters.

The future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain, even as President Donald Trump tries to negotiate a deal to keep it operating.

I tried unblocking TikTok with a VPN and experienced mixed results. Here’s what you can expect if a TikTok ban comes back.

TikTok held firm and refused to be sold, Congress blinked, and now everyone is scrambling to avoid a backlash from its younger user base.