Many people have disabled their TikTok accounts due to the 'horrifying' new terms of service.
Previously, the popular social media app collected only approximate location data, but the new terms specify that precise geolocation is now part of the data TikTok may gather.
While TikTok has explained that the data will be processed according to the law, and that users can disable location services in their device settings, this change has sparked a backlash, with some users opting to remove the app from their phones.
The Role of TikTok’s US Joint Venture
This updated privacy policy follows the recent creation of the TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, formed to run TikTok's operations in the United States.
The joint venture, backed by Oracle and other US investors, is seen as a way to address national security concerns that had previously loomed over the platform, BBC News reported.
Oracle, headed by Trump ally Larry Ellison, is tasked with overseeing the retraining of TikTok’s algorithm to ensure US user data is handled securely within US borders.
While ByteDance retains almost 20% stake in the venture, the majority control of the company now lies with US investors, which has been praised as a vital step to comply with US regulations.
Despite these reassurances, questions persist about ByteDance’s continuing influence over TikTok’s US operations.
Representative John Moolenaar, chairman of the House Select Committee on China, voiced concerns over whether the deal truly eliminates the risk of Chinese influence over the app’s algorithm and whether Americans' data is secure.
"Does this deal ensure China does not have influence over the algorithm? Can the parties involved assure Americans their data is secure?" he said in a statement.
"Those are questions that need to be answered as the Select Committee does oversight of this deal."
Users React to Expanding Data Collection
The new terms have left many users worried about how their personal information is being used.
According to Tom’s Guide, the revised terms now include the collection of sensitive personal details such as gender identity, medical diagnoses, and even immigration status.
This expansion has left some users feeling uneasy, with one writing on X: "I deleted TikTok due to the new terms, and I’m fr sad to see everything I had saved on there go :/ But it’s scary when you read into it. They can have your geolocation, pms, save data about your health, sexuality, political beliefs etc."
Another posted a screenshot of the terms and conditions and said: "Deleted TikTok because w** i look like keeping an app on my phone with THIS in the privacy policy."
A third said: "Do not agree to the new ToS and privacy policy. Request your data, wait till they send it to you, download it, then delete your content and your account. Reach out to them to request they delete your data. Goodbye tiktok. It's been really fun. Too bad they had to ruin it."
Perhaps the most unsettling addition is the ability for TikTok to scan pre-uploaded content.
Even if a video is not uploaded, the platform can still analyze user-generated content, essentially flagging privacy violations before they happen.
While TikTok has reassured users that this scanning is designed to protect privacy, some users are uncomfortable with this level of scrutiny and have linked it to the show Black Mirror.
"Imagine seeing your own face in a TikTok ad for a product you hate, three years after you deleted the app, and realizing you signed away the rights to your own face in a 50-page TOS nobody read. That’s some Black Mirror stuff," one user said.