An Analysis of TikTok’s Privacy Policy

Taking the world by storm, TikTok is one of the world’s most popular apps worldwide. The video creation app thrives on its creative space for originality and short witty content applicable for all users. Recently, President Donald Trump has called to ban TikTok from the app store concerning the Chinese company accessing American users’ data. According to Business Insider, the US government quietly launched an investigation in November 2019 into TikTok’s potential national-security risks. In July 2020, President Trump required TikTok’s parent company ByteDance to find an American buyer by the end of September 20, or else the company would be banned for American users. As of today, ByteDance has not found an American buyer. According to the government’s ban order, new US downloads of Tiktok are prohibited while existing users will no longer receive software updates. The government is also threatening the app's functionality. As the app is considered to arise security risks by taking American data, below is an analysis of TikTok’s privacy policy.

Information TikTok collects

Information you choose to provide:
To start, TikTok collects the basic information you give when you sign up for an account and use the platform. This information consists of your name, age, email (or phone number if you choose to sign up that way), and language. When you create an account you are also prompted to input a profile image. Being an app that thrives on user-generated content, the app also collects content that you choose to upload/broadcast such as images, videos, and comments. All of the personal information stated above is required by TikTok to create an account, there is also permission-based information that TikTok can collect.

When you create an account, you have the option to connect your other social media accounts such as Instagram and YouTube. By connecting your other social media accounts, you can find existing users that you know on the platform as well as have your followers be able to view your separate accounts. You can also find existing users on your platform if you created an account using your phone number. If you create an account using your phone number, your account with your permission will find other users through your phone contacts to find existing users on the platform. By doing this, TikTok is accessing your friends, name, phone numbers, and other information that you have saved in their contact form.

Information from other sources:
TikTok also can obtain information about you from other sources, including when you sign up with or link to third-party sites such as Google, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. When you give TikTok this information they will have access to your contact lists on these services as well as advertising partners and analytic providers. In other words, when you sign in/ link to a third-party site any information you have to that site, TikTok will equally have access to most of that information. TikTok also discloses that they may collect information about from other publicly available sources. TikTok does not exclusively disclose what public sources they could/will be pulling from.

Information collected automatically:
TikTok discloses that when you use their platform they will automatically collect information including “internet or other network activity information such as your IP address, geolocation-related data (as described below), unique device identifiers, browsing and search history (including content you have viewed in the Platform), and Cookies (as defined below).”

User Information: TikTok collects any information regarding your use of their platform and the user content that is generated. They will also take into consideration your information when active on the platform on any device by using your email, phone number, similar information.

Device Information: TikTok will collect information about the device you are using when active on the platform. They will automatically collect your IP address, the model of your device, your mobile carrier, time zone, screen resolution, operating system, and keystroke patterns or rhythms.

Location: TikTok collects locational information based on your IP address. With your permission, TikTok will also collect your GPS data.

Messages: In regards to messages, TikTok will collect and process information provided within each message sent and received. TikTok discloses that their process includes scanning and analyzing so that the user sending or receiving the message will be alerted that the message has been sent, received, or read.

Metadata: By definition metadata, is the summary of information about data. In other words, it is data about data. In regards to TikTok and its usage of metadata, TikTok collects metadata that is connected to the user content that you generate. It is important to understand that this information collected will not be evident to a user however, it is accessible. This data consists of how, when, and who created the user content and any type of words or hashtags used to caption the video.

Cookies: By definition per TikTok, cookies collect information and measure what pages you click on and how you use the platform. Cookies are said to be used to enhance your experience when on the platform to display content that you have previously viewed and liked as well as improve target advertising. It should be noted by all TikTok users that as a user of the platform you can disable the use of cookies to decrease the amount of information TikTok collects from you. TikTok claims that they are not responsible for the privacy practices of their service providers and business partners that use the cookies collected.

How TikTok uses your information

In light of the recent controversy between the Trump Administration and TikTok, this and the following section addresses how they use and share your information. As an overview, TikTok uses your information to improve the platform and your experience by showing you suggestions, promotions, and customizations. TikTok discloses that they only use the following information in a general sense for the benefit of the user. TikTok uses your information to understand how to use the platform across all of your devices and customizes the content you see when you use the platform. TikTok gives the following example in their policy agreement: we may provide you with services based on the country settings you have chosen or show you content that is similar to content that you liked or interacted with. It is disclosed by TikTok that they will also use your information to communicate with you about changes in their services and enforce their terms, conditions, and policies.

How TikTok shares your information

After the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal, many users are now concerned with how social networking platforms are sharing their personal information. TikTok makes it known in their policy agreement that they are committed to maintaining your trust and do not sell personal information to third parties. TikTok outlines that the information that they may share is all for business purposes with the following groups: service providers and business partners, their corporate group, and in conjunction with a business sale, merger, or transfer. TikTok will share your information with its service providers and business partners to help further perform business operations. Their providers and partners will use your information for research, data analytics, search engine optimization, marketing, and even administer contests and surveys. TikTok discloses in no specific context that they will share your data with their parent or subsidiary corporate group as well as if they need to make a corporate transaction. TikTok defines a corporate transaction as a sale of a website, a merger, asset sale, or in the unlikely event of bankruptcy. In an event where legal issues occur, TikTok may disclose your information in response to a subpoena, court order, or government inquiries to protect and defend your rights as a user.

TikTok may share your information with third-party sites if you give them consent. This transaction will often happen when you sign up for TikTok using one of these providers (i.e: Facebook or Gmail). It is disclosed in TikTok’s agreement that while they will not personally sell your data, you should be aware that the more information about yourself disclosed on the app may be read, used, or collected by other users. TikTok outlines that they are not responsible for the information you choose to submit within the app that is not required.

How long TikTok keeps your information

TikTok claims that they will retain your personal information for as long as it is necessary to provide you with an enhanced experience while using the app. They will keep your information until they deem the time is suitable and no longer have a business intends to keep it. TikTok also explains if necessary they will retain your data for legal reasons or obligations. As a user, it is important to know your rights. TikTok allows you complete control in your settings to manage the personal data they have about you. If requested, TikTok will allow your data to completely be deleted from their system including with the parties it was shared with unless they have a legal right to keep using it. TikTok also gives you the option to change and correct any data you may have entered as well as provide you with a copy.

What all of this means…

Compared to its networking competitors like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, TikTok has a pretty generic privacy policy. The overall policy reminds users that TikTok’s main goal is to keep the user happy with the content provided and create an enticing user experience. They are founded on maintaining their trust with each user to deliver an experience like no other. TikTok promotes their transparency and explains any risk a user might be concerned with when signing up for their application. The detail provided in this privacy policy should comfort users that TikTok is willing to explain to users why they are doing what they are doing. While privacy agreements are typically long-winded documents that users typically scroll through without looking, I would encourage all users to read the privacy policy of any platform. Reading a privacy policy will allow you to understand where your data is going and who may be in possession of it.

TikTok’s privacy policy was last updated on January 1, 2020. To view TikTok’s privacy policy, click here.