When creating an account on the social network TikTok, some conditions appear to make direct use of it, such as the apps access to your contacts and GPS location.

“Tik Tok has been embroiled in controversies over a range of privacy and cybersecurity issues, including allegations of excessive user data collection and sharing with the Chinese government, harming children and their mental health, and leaking personal data. While most of these concerns aren’t exactly unique to TikTok, no other social network is getting as much attention as the popular video app. This is not only because TikTok is often said to collect more information from users than the industry average and uses a more powerful recommendation algorithm than the other platforms, but mainly because many believe the app poses a risk to people’s lives. Cuprik, ESET content writer.

What data does TikTok collect?

According to an Internet 2.0 report, TikTok requests excessive permissions on the device and collects excessive amounts of data, much more than is necessary for its operation. For example, the app collects data about all apps installed on the phone, detailed information about the Android operating system, and requires access to the phone’s contacts.

“Most of the logins and data it collects from the device is not required for the TikTok app to work properly,” said Thomas Perkins, an engineer and head of Internet 2.0 security.

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“The app can and will work successfully without collecting this data. This leads to the belief that the only reason this information was collected is for data collection,” Perkins added.

Much of this data collection can’t be turned off either, and TikTok states in its privacy policy that you can read your posts and claims they require this level of access to protect users from spam.

At the same time, the company receives the approximate location from your device’s GPS data, even if the location service is turned off. It also collects transaction and purchase history, according to the Internet 2.0 report.

Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok, responded to these allegations by saying current versions of the app do not collect accurate or approximate GPS information from US users.

He also denied sharing data with the Chinese government. “TikTok, as an American company incorporated in the United States, is subject to the laws of the United States,” it said in a statement on March 23.

How can (part of) privacy be protected while using TikTok?

If you want to watch content on TikTok while sharing as little data as possible, it is recommended to use the official TikTok website in a web browser. Keep in mind that TikTok may still collect certain information using browser cookies and other trackers.

However, without an account it is not possible to post videos, insert comments or like a video. If you want to have an account, you can limit the exchange of some data in the settings.

Why TikTok is causing governments so much fear

In its privacy policy, TikTok explicitly states that it can collect your data from third-party apps, even without permission. When you first register, it’s a good option to use a phone or email address that isn’t used anywhere else, rather than an account associated with, say, another social network.

In turn, for better protection, don’t allow TikTok to sync phone contacts or Facebook friends, and limit ads personalization.

How to protect the little ones on TikTok?

To address child protection issues, TikTok introduced a feature called Family Pairing in 2020.

According to ESET, the tool gives moms, dads and guardians a measure of control and oversight over the accounts of the little ones. A guardian can link their TikTok account to the child’s and set up parental controls, including daily screen time, limited exposure to certain content, child search options, and visibility to others.