TikTok is one of the most popular apps currently out there. It’s especially popular among younger generations, who use the app to create short and fun videos. With more than 1 billion monthly active users, it’s safe to say TikTok reached global fame in a relatively short period.
What do we really know about TikTok, though?
Since it’s a new app, there’s still not much information about it. However, people are slowly getting curious and eager to learn what this app does behind the scenes. Special attention has been paid to how much data TikTok collects from its users, and the results might shock you.
What is TikTok?
Before we jump straight into the data collection, let’s take a step back and explain what TikTok is.
For those who don’t know, TikTok is a video streaming and sharing app that focuses on shorter video formats. It all started in 2014 when a short lip-sync video app, Musical.ly, was launched.
In this app, the users had access to a myriad of dialogue and music options they could use to make fun and entertaining videos for their followers. Due to the unique content internet users could make with Musical.ly, the app quickly became popular.
A significant change occurred in 2018 when a Chinese company ByteDance purchased Musical.ly. All the users and their content were transferred to a new platform called TikTok. Since then, TikTok has been home to countless fun videos made by its users.
Why is TikTok one of the most data-hungry apps?
As previously mentioned, more and more internet users are interested in finding out how specific platforms use their data, including TikTok. We’ve discovered that TikTok tracks users’ personal data more than any other social media network currently on the market.
Most platforms collect the personal data of their users for their purposes. User data can help track location, online search history, and even select relevant ads a user might enjoy.
However, that’s not the case with TikTok.
Besides collecting users’ personal data, TikTok allows third-party trackers to access their database and collect data from their users. Still, because there’s no way to find out what third-party trackers access the data, it’s hard to say what happens to the collected data next.
Also, it’s difficult to say what type of third-party data trackers are collecting in the first place since they could collect from how much time you spend on TikTok to what posts you interact with the most.
That’s not all.
What happens with collected data?
Once they gather the necessary information about the users, third-party trackers can continue tracking their online activity even after leaving the TikTok app.
Having someone follow your every step and move on the digital platforms is quite severe, and TikTok users should be informed about such activities.
How do we know this?
With the Record App Activity feature, the URL Genius calculated how many domains track an Apple iOS user’s online activity across ten different social media platforms. TikTok was one of them, and it scored significantly higher than any other app analyzed in the study.
The shocking 13 out of the 14 TikTok network contacts were third-party trackers. This data indicates that TikTok users don’t have enough control over their personal data and how it’s being used.
What type of data does TikTok collect?
Officially, TikTok collects vast amounts of data from its users, including:
- Phone model and operating system used by the user.
- Videos that are watched and commented on.
- Location information.
- The keystroke rhythms.
However, there’s probably even more information that TikTok collects from its users behind the curtain. Moreover, allowing third parties to access and gather user data is deeply concerning, and there have been some raised eyebrows on how TikTok approaches the safety and privacy of its users.
How to protect yourself from data collection?
You’re surely wondering how you can enhance your online security and anonymity while using TikTok. That doesn’t mean you have to uninstall the app but implementing some additional steps in your online browsing routine can drastically increase your digital privacy.
For instance, open TikTok settings and opt-out of any suspicious settings that might not work in favor of your privacy. Additionally, you can hide your location if you use a Virtual Private Network. Many online entities may calculate your whereabouts according to your IP address. You can see what is your IP and the location it indicates. With a VPN, you can connect to a server in a remote location and change this identifier. You can pick the exact location as well!
The bottom line
Now that you know more about how TikTok uses your data and what it allows its third-party trackers to do, you’ll surely think twice about how well protected you are online. Fortunately, the solution to this issue is straightforward since all you must do is invest in a high-quality and reliable VPN service.
