Welcome to TikTok. This Privacy Policy applies to the TikTok services (“Platform”), including TikTok applications, websites, software and related services accessed through any platform or device that links to this Privacy Policy. The Platform is provided and controlled by TikTok Pte. Ltd., located at 1 Raffles Quay, #26-10, South Tower, Singapore 048583 (“TikTok” or “we”).
We are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share and process personal information of users and other individuals in connection with our Platform. If you do not agree to this policy, you must not use the Platform.
What Information We Collect
We may collect the following information about you:
Information You Provide
Your profile information. You provide us with information when you register on the Platform, including your username, password, date of birth (where applicable), your email address and/or phone number, information you disclose in your user profile, and your avatar or video.
User Content. We process content you create on the Platform, including images, audio and video you upload or create, comments, hashtags, responses, ratings and live streams you make, and related metadata, such as when, where and who created the content (“User Content”). Even if you are not a user, information about you may appear in User Content created or published by users on the Platform. We collect User Content by preloading it at the time of creation, import or upload, regardless of whether you choose to save or upload that User Content, to suggest audio options and provide other personalized recommendations. If you apply effects to your User Content, we may collect a version of the User Content that does not include the effects.
Messages. We collect information you provide when you compose, send or receive messages through the Platform’s messaging functions. This includes messages you send or receive through our chat functions when communicating with retailers who sell to you and when you use a virtual assistant to make a purchase through the Platform. This information includes the content of the message and information about the message, such as when the message was sent, received or read and who participated in the message. Please note that messages you choose to send to other users of the Platform may be accessible to those users, and we are not responsible for how those users use or share the messages.
We may access content, including text, images, and videos, found in your device cache, with your permission. For example, if you choose to initiate a share with a third-party platform or choose to paste content from your cache into the Platform, we access the information stored in the cache to fulfill your request.
Purchase Information. When you make a purchase or payment on or through the Platform, including when you purchase TikTok Points or purchase goods through our shopping features, we collect information about the purchase or payment, such as payment card information, billing, shipping, and contact information, and the items you purchased.
Your phone contacts and social media contacts. If you choose to sync your phone contacts, we will access and collect information such as your name, phone number, and email address, and match that information to existing users of the Platform. If you choose to share your social media contacts, we will collect your public profile information as well as the names and profiles of people in your social media contacts.
Proof of your identity or age. We may ask you to provide proof of your identity or age to use certain features, such as live streaming or verified accounts, or when you register for a Pro Account, to ensure that you are old enough to use the Platform, or in situations where you are required to be verified.
Information in correspondence you send to us, including when you contact us for support or feedback.
Information through surveys, research, promotions, contests, marketing campaigns, challenges, competitions or events conducted or sponsored by us in which you participate.
Automatically Collected Information
Usage Information. We collect information related to your use of the Platform, for example, how you engage with the Platform, including how you interact with the content we serve you, the ads you watch, the videos you watch and the problems you encounter, your browsing and search history, the content you like, the content you save to “My Favorites,” the users you follow, and how you interact with your mutual followers.
Inferred Information. We also infer attributes about you, including your interests, gender, and age, for the purpose of personalizing content.
Technical Information we collect about you. We collect certain information about the device you use to access the Platform, such as your IP address, browser identifier, carrier, time zone setting, advertising identifiers, your device model, device system, network type, device ID, screen resolution and operating system, application and file names and types, keystroke patterns or rhythms, battery status, audio settings, and connected audio devices. When you log in from multiple devices, we may use your profile information to identify your activities on those devices. We may also associate you with information collected from devices other than the ones you use to log in to the Platform.
Location Information. We collect information about your approximate location, including location information based on your SIM card and/or IP address. We may also collect precise location data (such as GPS) if you permit it. In addition, we collect location information (such as tourist attractions, stores, or other places of interest) if you choose to add location information to your User Content.
Visual and Audio Information. We may collect information about the videos, images, and audio that are part of your User Content, such as identifying objects and scenes that appear, the presence and location of faces and other physical features and attributes in the images, the nature of the audio and text of the spoken words in your User Content. We may collect this information to enable special video effects, content moderation, demographic categorization, content and advertising recommendations, and other non-personally identifiable activities.
How We Use Your Information
As explained below, we use your information to improve, support, and administer the Platform, enable you to use the Platform's features, and implement and enforce our Terms of Service. We may also use your information to personalize the content you see on the Platform, promote the Platform, and customize your advertising experience, among other purposes. We typically use the information we collect in the following ways:
To fulfill requests for products, services, Platform functionality, support, and information for internal operations, including for troubleshooting, data analysis, testing, research, statistical, and survey purposes, and to solicit your feedback.
To provide our shopping features and facilitate the purchase and delivery of products, goods and services, including sharing your information with retailers, payment and fulfillment providers and other service providers to process your orders.
To personalize the content you see when you use the Platform. For example, we may provide you with services based on the country settings you have selected or show you content similar to content that you have liked or engaged with.
To send promotional materials from us or on behalf of our affiliates and trusted third parties, including via instant messaging or email.
To improve and develop our Platform and conduct product development.
To measure and understand the effectiveness of advertisements and other content we send to you and others, and to deliver advertising to you on the Platform, including targeted advertising.
To support the social functions of the Platform, including allowing you and others to connect with each other (for example, through our Find Friends function) and share whether you are active on the Platform (and other information you choose to share) with your friends, provide our messaging services if you choose to use this function, suggest accounts to you and others, and let you and others share, download, and interact with User Content posted through the Platform.
To allow you to participate in virtual items programs.
To allow you to participate in interactive features of the Platform, such as allowing your content to be used in other users' videos.
To use User Content in our advertising and marketing campaigns to promote the Platform, invite you to events, and promote popular topics, hashtags, and campaigns on the Platform.
To understand how you use the Platform, including across your devices.
To determine additional information about you, such as your age, gender, and interests.
To help us detect and combat abuse, harmful activity, fraud, spam, and illegal activity on the Platform.
To ensure that content is presented in the most effective manner for you and your device.
To enhance the safety and security of the Platform, including by screening, analyzing, and reviewing User Content, messages, and related metadata for violations of our Terms of Service, Community Guidelines, or other conditions and policies.
To facilitate research conducted by independent researchers who meet certain criteria.
To verify your identity or age.
To communicate with you, including to notify you about changes to our services.
To notify you as a winner of our contests or promotions, if permitted by the promotion rules, and to send you the associated prize.
To enforce our Terms of Service, Community Guidelines, and other terms and policies.
To provide you with location-based services, such as ads and other personalized content, consistent with your consent.
To train and improve our technology, such as our machine learning models and algorithms.
To facilitate and complete sales transactions, promote and purchase goods and services, and provide user support.
How we share your information
We share your information with the following parties:
Business Partners
If you choose to register to use the Platform using your social media account details (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google), you will provide us with, or allow your social network to provide us with, your phone number, email address, username and public profile. We will also share certain information with the respective social network such as your application ID, access token and link URL. If you choose to allow a third-party service to access your account, we will share certain information about you with the third party. Depending on the permissions you grant, the third party may be able to obtain your account information and other information you choose to provide.
When you choose to share content on social media platforms, the video, username and accompanying text will be shared on that platform or a link to the content will be shared in the case of sharing via instant messaging platforms such as Whatsapp.
Service Providers
We provide information and content to service providers that support our business, such as cloud service providers and content moderation service providers to ensure the Platform is a safe and enjoyable place and service providers that help us market the Platform.
Payment processors and service providers that complete transactions: If you choose to purchase Points or make other payment-related transactions, we will share data with the respective payment service provider to facilitate this transaction. For Points transactions, we share a transaction ID to enable us to identify you and credit your account with the correct value in Points when you have made a payment.
Analytics Providers: We use analytics providers to help us optimize and improve the Platform. Our third-party analytics providers also help us deliver targeted advertising.
Advertisers, Ad Networks, and Measurement Partners
We share information with advertisers and third-party measurement companies to let them know how many and what types of Platform users have viewed or clicked on an ad.
If you use the TikTok Lite version of TikTok, we share information with advertising networks to show you personalized ads on the TikTok Lite app and other online sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties, and their practices with respect to information are not covered by this Privacy Policy.
Independent Researchers
We share your information with independent researchers to facilitate research that meets certain criteria.
Our Group
We may also share your information with other members, subsidiaries, or affiliates within our group, including to provide the Platform, improve and optimize the Platform, prevent unlawful use, and support users.
For Legal Reasons
We will share your information with law enforcement agencies, public authorities, or other organizations if required to do so by law, or if it is reasonably necessary to:
comply with a legal obligation, process, or request;
enforce our Terms of Service and other agreements, policies, and standards, including investigating any potential violations of our Terms of Service and such agreements, policies, and standards;
detect, prevent, or otherwise address security, fraud, or technical issues; or
protect the rights, property, or safety of us, our users, third parties, or the public as required or permitted by law (including exchanging information with other companies and organizations for the purposes of fraud protection and credit risk reduction).
Public Profile
Please note that if your profile is public, your content may be visible to anyone on the Platform and may be accessed or shared by your friends and followers as well as third parties such as search engines, content aggregators, and news sites. You can change who can see your videos each time you upload a video. Additionally, you can change your profile to private by default by changing your settings to ‘Private Account’ in the “Manage My Account” settings.
Sale, Merger or Other Business Transaction
We may also disclose your information to third parties:
if we sell or buy any business or assets (whether as a result of liquidation, bankruptcy or otherwise), in which case we will disclose your data to the prospective seller or buyer of such business or assets; or
if we sell, buy, merge, are acquired by or enter into a partnership with other companies or businesses, or sell some or all of our assets. In such transactions, user information may be among the assets transferred.
Retailers, Payment and Fulfillment Service Providers and Other Service Providers
When you make purchases through our shopping features, we share information related to the transaction with retailers, payment and fulfillment service providers and other service providers. For example, we will share the items on your order, contact details, and shipping information so that we can process your order. These entities may use the shared information in accordance with their privacy policies.
Where we store your information
Your information may be stored on servers outside of the country where you live, such as in Singapore, Malaysia, Ireland and the United States. We maintain large servers around the world to provide you with our services seamlessly on a global scale.
Your Rights and Choices
You have rights and choices regarding your information. You may be provided with certain rights under applicable law, which may include the right to access, delete, update or correct your data, to be informed about the processing of your data, to lodge a complaint with regulatory authorities, and other rights. You may appeal any decision we have made regarding your request by following the instructions in the communication you receive from us notifying you of our decision. Please see the Additional Terms below to see if your country has a local representative or local contact.
You can access and edit most of your profile information by logging in to TikTok. You can delete User Content you have posted. We also provide a number of tools in Settings that allow you to control who can view your videos, send you messages, or post comments on your videos, among other features. You can delete your entire account in Settings if you choose to do so.
You can refuse or disable Cookies by adjusting the settings in your device browser. Since each browser is different, refer to the instructions provided by your browser. Please note that you may need to take additional steps to refuse or disable some types of Cookies. For example, because of differences in how browsers and mobile applications work, you may need to take different steps to opt out of Cookies used for targeted advertising in your browser and opt out of targeted advertising for mobile applications, which you may control through your device settings or mobile application permissions. Additionally, your opt-out choice is specific to the specific browser or device you are using when you opt out, so you may have to opt out for each browser or device. If you choose to opt out, disable or delete Cookies, some Platform functionality may no longer be available to you.
Security of your information
We take steps to ensure that your information is treated securely and in accordance with this policy. Unfortunately, the transmission of information over the internet is not completely secure. Although we will take reasonable measures to protect your personal data, for example, by encryption, we cannot guarantee the security of your information transmitted through the Platform; any transmission is at your own risk.
We have appropriate technical and organisational measures in place to ensure a level of security appropriate to the likely and seriousness of the risks to your and other users' rights and freedoms. We maintain these technical and organisational measures and will amend them from time to time to improve the overall security of our systems.
We will, from time to time, include links to and from the websites of our partner networks, advertisers and affiliates. If you follow a link to any of these websites, please note that these websites have their own privacy policies and that we do not accept any responsibility or liability for these policies. Please check these policies before you submit any information to these websites.
How long we retain your information
We retain information for as long as necessary to provide the Platform and for the other purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We also retain information as necessary to comply with contractual and legal obligations, where we have a legitimate business interest in retaining it (such as improving and developing the Platform, and enhancing the safety, security, and stability of the Platform), and to enforce or defend legal claims.
Retention periods vary depending on different criteria, such as the type of information and the purposes for which we use it. For example, when we process your information, such as your profile information to provide you with the Platform, we will retain this information for as long as you have an account. If you violate our Terms of Service, Community Guidelines, or other conditions or policies, we may immediately remove your profile and User Content from public view, but may retain other information about you to address the violation.
Privacy Policy Updates
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we update the Privacy Policy, we will notify you by updating the “Last Updated” date at the top of this policy and posting the new Privacy Policy or providing any other notice as required by applicable law. Your continued access or use of the Platform after the date of the updated policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. If you do not agree to the updated policy, you must stop accessing or using the Platform.
Additional Terms – Jurisdiction Specific
In the event of any conflict between the provisions of the Additional Terms – Jurisdiction Specific that relate to your jurisdiction from which you access or use the Services, and the remainder of the policy, the Additional Terms – Jurisdiction Specific for the relevant jurisdiction shall supersede and control.
