What Data Does TikTok Collect About You?

TikTok collects 3 kinds of data: what you give it (your profile, posts, messages), what it gathers automatically as you use the app (device details, IP address, what you watch and search, how you interact), and what it receives from other sources such as advertisers and partners. Its US privacy policy also says it may collect precise location if you allow location services.

TikTok publishes the details in its privacy policy, which differs by region. This guide summarises what the US policy covers, what changed in 2026, how to see your own data and how to limit collection. Downloading your own copy is covered in how to download your TikTok data. The parts you can review yourself include your TikTok watch history, and this is a different question from how much mobile data TikTok uses, which is about your data plan.

What Information Does TikTok Collect?

TikTok’s privacy policy groups what it collects into information you provide, information collected automatically, and information from other sources. The table summarises each group (TikTok Privacy Policy).

Group	Examples
Information you provide	Account details, profile, posts, comments, messages, purchases, contacts if you sync them
Collected automatically	Device model and operating system, IP address, approximate location, what you watch, search, like and share, how long you watch, keystroke patterns, cookies
From other sources	Advertisers and measurement partners, other platforms you link, publicly available information

TikTok has said it uses keystroke patterns to detect unusual behaviour such as fake logins and spam (TechCrunch).

Does TikTok Collect Your Location?

Yes, TikTok collects approximate location from your SIM and IP address, and its 2026 US privacy policy adds that it may collect precise location if you’ve turned on location services for the app. You can switch location services off for TikTok in your phone’s settings at any time. Earlier US versions of the policy said the app didn’t collect precise GPS location (Fortune).

What Is “Sensitive Information” in TikTok’s Privacy Policy?

TikTok’s US policy lists categories of sensitive personal information it may process, such as health or immigration status, because state privacy laws like California’s require that disclosure. A lawyer quoted by TechCrunch explained that if you disclose something sensitive in your content, it becomes part of what the platform technically collects (TechCrunch). The policy language predates the 2026 ownership change.

Does TikTok Collect Biometric Data?

TikTok’s US policy says it may collect biometric identifiers such as faceprints and voiceprints from your content, as defined under US law. TikTok has said face recognition for effects runs on your device and that it doesn’t hold that data (TechCrunch).

How Can You See What TikTok Has on You?

You can see your own data by requesting your TikTok data file: Settings and privacy, Account, Download your data. It includes your profile, watch and search history, comments, likes, messages and settings. The steps and file contents are in how to download your TikTok data, and your viewing record in how to see your TikTok watch history.

How Do You Limit the Data TikTok Collects?

You can limit TikTok’s data collection through your phone’s permissions and TikTok’s own privacy settings. Listed below are the 6 most effective steps.

1. Turn off location services for TikTok in your phone settings.
2. Stop syncing contacts and Facebook friends in Settings and privacy, then Privacy.
3. Turn off ad personalisation in your ad settings.
4. Make your account private so only approved followers see your videos.
5. Clear your search and watch history regularly; see how to clear your TikTok search history.
6. Review which apps you’ve connected to TikTok, and remove the ones you don’t use.

What Can Third-Party Apps See?

Apps that connect to your TikTok account can only see what you authorise through TikTok’s official developer APIs, such as your basic profile and your own videos. The Display API, for example, shows a logged-in user’s own profile and videos in another app. What each API can access is covered in TikTok Display API and Login Kit.

Public content is different: anyone, and any tool, can see public videos, profiles and comments. Making your account private is the way to limit that.