When TikTok users in the US opened the app today, they were greeted with a pop-up asking them to agree to the social media platform’s new terms of service and privacy policy before they could resume scrolling.
These changes are part of TikTok’s transition to new ownership. In order to continue operating in the US, TikTok was compelled by the US government to transition from Chinese control to a new, American-majority corporate entity. Called TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, the new entity is made up of a group of investors that includes the software company Oracle.
It's easy to tap Agree and keep on scrolling through videos on TikTok, so users might not fully understand the extent of changes they are agreeing to with this pop-up.
Now that it’s under US-based ownership, TikTok potentially collects more detailed information about its users, including precise location data. A spokesperson for TikTok USDS declined to comment.
Here are the three biggest changes to TikTok’s privacy policy that users should know about.
TikTok Adds Precise Location Tracking
TikTok’s change in location tracking is one of the most notable updates in this new privacy policy. Before this update, the app did not collect the precise, GPS-derived location data of US users. Now, if you give TikTok permission to use your phone’s location services, then the app may collect granular information about your exact whereabouts. Similar kinds of precise location data is also tracked by other social media apps, like Instagram and X.
Old Privacy Policy:
We collect information about your approximate location, including location information based on your SIM card and/or IP address. In addition, we collect location information (such as tourist attractions, shops, or other points of interest) if you choose to add the location information to your User Content. Current versions of the app do not collect precise or approximate GPS information from US users.
New Privacy Policy:
We automatically collect certain information from you when you use the Services, including ... location information about your approximate location based on your device and network information, such as SIM card region, IP address, and device system settings. We also collect information, such as tourist attractions, shops, or other points of interest, if you choose to add the location to your user content. Also, if you choose to enable location services for the TikTok app within your device settings, we collect approximate or precise location information from your device.
TikTok Now Tracks AI Interactions
Rather than an adjustment, TikTok’s policy on AI interactions adds a new topic to the privacy policy document. Now, users' interactions with any of TikTok’s AI tools explicitly fall under data that the service may collect and store. This includes any prompts as well as the AI-generated outputs. The metadata attached to your interactions with AI tools may also be automatically logged.
Old Privacy Policy:
(These AI interactions are not explicitly mentioned in the past policy.)
New Privacy Policy:
When you create an account, upload content, contact us directly, or otherwise use the Services, you may provide some or all of the following information … AI interactions, including prompts, questions, files, and other types of information that you submit to our AI-powered interfaces, as well as the responses they generate.
We automatically collect certain information from you when you use the Services, including … metadata that is automatically uploaded in connection with your user content, messages, or AI interactions, such as how, when, where, and by whom the user content was created, or message or prompt was sent. Metadata may also include information, such as your username, that enables your user content to be traced back to your account by other users.
TikTok Expands Its Ads Network
This change to TikTok’s privacy policy may not be as immediately noticeable to users, but it will likely have an impact on the types of ads you see outside of TikTok. So, rather than just using your collected data to target you while using the app, TikTok may now further leverage that info to serve you more relevant ads wherever you go online. As part of this advertising change, TikTok also now explicitly mentions publishers as one kind of partner the platform works with to get new data.
Old Privacy Policy: