Jump to content

TikTok: Difference between revisions

From Consumer Rights Wiki
← Older editNewer edit →
VisualWikitext
Rudxain (talk | contribs)
confirmed, superconfirmed
889 edits
m link fingerprint
Trinity (talk | contribs)
confirmed
114 edits
m Added archived reference links
Line 11: Line 11:
}}
}}


[[wikipedia:TikTok|TikTok]] is a social media platform developed by the Chinese internet technology company [[ByteDance|ByteDance Ltd]]. The app has been cited with numerous privacy concerns that eventually led to a US state ban in May 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Archie |first=Ayana |date=May 18, 2023 |title=Montana becomes the first state to ban TikTok |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/05/18/1176805559/montana-tiktok-ban |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |website=NPR}}</ref>
[[wikipedia:TikTok|TikTok]] is a social media platform developed by the Chinese internet technology company [[ByteDance|ByteDance Ltd]]. The app has been cited with numerous privacy concerns that eventually led to a US state ban in May 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Archie |first=Ayana |date=May 18, 2023 |title=Montana becomes the first state to ban TikTok |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/05/18/1176805559/montana-tiktok-ban |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518073749/https://www.npr.org/2023/05/18/1176805559/montana-tiktok-ban |archive-date=18 May 2023 |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |website=NPR}}</ref>


==Consumer impact summary==
==Consumer impact summary==
Line 20: Line 20:


===User privacy===
===User privacy===
As per Privacy Policy:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Privacy Policy |url=https://www.tiktok.com/legal/page/row/privacy-policy/en |access-date=14 Aug 2025 |website=TikTok}}</ref>
As per Privacy Policy:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Privacy Policy |url=https://www.tiktok.com/legal/page/row/privacy-policy/en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250816013219/https://www.tiktok.com/legal/page/row/privacy-policy/en |archive-date=16 Aug 2025 |access-date=14 Aug 2025 |website=TikTok}}</ref>
*Automatically collects unreasonable heaps of information to [[Device fingerprint|fingerprint]] the user:
*Automatically collects unreasonable heaps of information to [[Device fingerprint|fingerprint]] the user:
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
:'''Technical Information we collect about you.''' We collect certain information about the device you use to access the Platform, such as your IP address, user agent, mobile carrier, time zone settings, identifiers for advertising purposes, model of your device, the device system, network type, your screen resolution and operating system, app and file names and types, keystroke patterns or rhythms, battery state, audio settings and connected audio devices.
:'''Technical Information we collect about you.''' We collect certain information about the device you use to access the Platform, such as your IP address, user agent, mobile carrier, time zone settings, identifiers for advertising purposes, model of your device, the device system, network type, your screen resolution and operating system, app and file names and types, keystroke patterns or rhythms, battery state, audio settings and connected audio devices.
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
:*"Keystroke patterns or rhythms" is particularly notable as the in-app browser has been demonstrated to listen to inputs from keyboard and screen, as well as injecting JavaScript code.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Krause |first=Felix |date=18 Aug 2022 |title=iOS Privacy: Announcing InAppBrowser.com - see what JavaScript commands get injected through an in-app browser |url=https://krausefx.com/blog/announcing-inappbrowsercom-see-what-javascript-commands-get-executed-in-an-in-app-browser#tiktok |access-date=14 Aug 2025 |quote=While you are interacting with the website, TikTok subscribes to all keyboard inputs (including passwords, credit card information, etc.) and every tap on the screen, like which buttons and links you click.}}</ref>
:*"Keystroke patterns or rhythms" is particularly notable as the in-app browser has been demonstrated to listen to inputs from keyboard and screen, as well as injecting JavaScript code.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Krause |first=Felix |date=18 Aug 2022 |title=iOS Privacy: Announcing InAppBrowser.com - see what JavaScript commands get injected through an in-app browser |url=https://krausefx.com/blog/announcing-inappbrowsercom-see-what-javascript-commands-get-executed-in-an-in-app-browser#tiktok |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818205812/https://krausefx.com/blog/announcing-inappbrowsercom-see-what-javascript-commands-get-executed-in-an-in-app-browser#tiktok |archive-date=18 Aug 2022 |access-date=14 Aug 2025 |quote=While you are interacting with the website, TikTok subscribes to all keyboard inputs (including passwords, credit card information, etc.) and every tap on the screen, like which buttons and links you click.}}</ref>
*Also collects approximate location based on "SIM card and/or IP address" and precise location such as GPS.
*Also collects approximate location based on "SIM card and/or IP address" and precise location such as GPS.
*Serves personalized advertisements and runs its own [[TikTok and AI-powered ad tracking|AI-powered analytics tool for advertisers]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sato |first=Mia |date=3 Jun 2025 |title=TikTok will give advertisers even more data on trends and users |url=https://www.theverge.com/news/678255/tiktok-advertiser-summit-ai-targeting-data-seo |access-date=25 Jun 2025 |website=The Verge}}</ref>
*Serves personalized advertisements and runs its own [[TikTok and AI-powered ad tracking|AI-powered analytics tool for advertisers]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sato |first=Mia |date=3 Jun 2025 |title=TikTok will give advertisers even more data on trends and users |url=https://www.theverge.com/news/678255/tiktok-advertiser-summit-ai-targeting-data-seo |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250603164513/https://www.theverge.com/news/678255/tiktok-advertiser-summit-ai-targeting-data-seo |archive-date=3 Jun 2025 |access-date=25 Jun 2025 |website=The Verge}}</ref>
Extensive List of Data Collected and Downloadable by the User in the Section "Downloadable and Collected Data"
Extensive List of Data Collected and Downloadable by the User in the Section "Downloadable and Collected Data"


Line 43: Line 43:
|Violations of Children's Privacy Laws
|Violations of Children's Privacy Laws
|2019-current
|2019-current
|In 2019, the US Department of Justice sued TikTok and parent company [[ByteDance]] as well as it's associated companies for violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act ([https://www.coppa.org/coppa/ COPPA]). The companies knowingly allowed children under 13 to make accounts and unlawfully collected data and personal information of said children without parental consent.<ref name="DOJ-COPPA">{{Cite web |date=2024-08-02 |title=Justice Department Sues TikTok and Parent Company ByteDance for Widespread Violations of Children’s Privacy Laws |url=https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-tiktok-and-parent-company-bytedance-widespread-violations-childrens |url-status=dead |website=Justice.gov}}</ref>
|In 2019, the US Department of Justice sued TikTok and parent company [[ByteDance]] as well as it's associated companies for violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act ([https://www.coppa.org/coppa/ COPPA]). The companies knowingly allowed children under 13 to make accounts and unlawfully collected data and personal information of said children without parental consent.<ref name="DOJ-COPPA">{{Cite web |date=2024-08-02 |title=Justice Department Sues TikTok and Parent Company ByteDance for Widespread Violations of Children’s Privacy Laws |url=https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-tiktok-and-parent-company-bytedance-widespread-violations-childrens |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250209191215/https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-tiktok-and-parent-company-bytedance-widespread-violations-childrens |archive-date=9 Feb 2025 |website=Justice.gov}}</ref>
|TikTok, as of 2020, still has complains about allegedly still collecting and using personal data of children under 13.
|TikTok, as of 2020, still has complains about allegedly still collecting and using personal data of children under 13.
|https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/08/ftc-investigation-leads-lawsuit-against-tiktok-bytedance-flagrantly-violating-childrens-privacy-law
|https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/08/ftc-investigation-leads-lawsuit-against-tiktok-bytedance-flagrantly-violating-childrens-privacy-law
Line 50: Line 50:
|Suppressing "ugly", poor, or disabled creators
|Suppressing "ugly", poor, or disabled creators
|2020-present
|2020-present
|[https://theintercept.com/ The Intercept] published a report in 2020 stating that obtained internal documents from TikTok instructed moderators to limit the amount of videos with people who have "ugly facial looks". "abnormal body shape", or are in poor or dirty environments. The documents claim that these types of videos are "not the ideal video form of our platform"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Biddle1 Ribero2 Dias3 |first=Sam1 Paulo Victor2 Tatiana3 |date=2020-03-16 |title=Invisible Censorship |url=https://theintercept.com/2020/03/16/tiktok-app-moderators-users-discrimination/ |website=The Intercept}}</ref>
|[https://theintercept.com/ The Intercept] published a report in 2020 stating that obtained internal documents from TikTok instructed moderators to limit the amount of videos with people who have "ugly facial looks". "abnormal body shape", or are in poor or dirty environments. The documents claim that these types of videos are "not the ideal video form of our platform"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Biddle1 Ribero2 Dias3 |first=Sam1 Paulo Victor2 Tatiana3 |date=2020-03-16 |title=Invisible Censorship |url=https://theintercept.com/2020/03/16/tiktok-app-moderators-users-discrimination/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200316045931/https://theintercept.com/2020/03/16/tiktok-app-moderators-users-discrimination/ |archive-date=16 Mar 2020 |website=The Intercept}}</ref>
|A TikTok spokesperson stated that the guidelines were “an early blunt attempt at preventing bullying but are no longer in place"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Itimu |first=Kiruti |date=2020-03-17 |title=TikTok Apparently Suppressed Content From Ugly or Poor People |url=https://techweez.com/2020/03/17/tiktok-apparently-suppresses-content-from-ugly-and-poor-people/ |website=Techweez}}</ref>
|A TikTok spokesperson stated that the guidelines were “an early blunt attempt at preventing bullying but are no longer in place"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Itimu |first=Kiruti |date=2020-03-17 |title=TikTok Apparently Suppressed Content From Ugly or Poor People |url=https://techweez.com/2020/03/17/tiktok-apparently-suppresses-content-from-ugly-and-poor-people/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204021629/https://techweez.com/2020/03/17/tiktok-apparently-suppresses-content-from-ugly-and-poor-people/ |archive-date=4 Dec 2020 |website=Techweez}}</ref>
|[https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/6810010/pages/Ugly-Content-Policy-p1-large.gif The documents themselves]
|[https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/6810010/pages/Ugly-Content-Policy-p1-large.gif The documents themselves]
|
|
Line 59: Line 59:
On May 2, 2025 the Irish Supervisory Authority fines TikTok a total of €530 million for infringement of Articles 13(1)(f) GDPR and Article 46(1) GDPR. The Irish Supervisory Authority (SA) has ordered TikTok to suspend the transfer of data from users in the EEA to the People’s Republic of China and to bring its processing operations into compliance with Chapter V of the GDPR within a period of 6 months.<ref>Irish Supervisory Authority fines TikTok €530 million and orders corrective measures following Inquiry into transfers of EEA User Data to China (2025, Jul, 04). edpb.europa.eu. Retrieved Aug 16, 2025, from https://www.edpb.europa.eu/news/news/2025/irish-supervisory-authority-fines-tiktok-eu530-million-and-orders-corrective_en</ref>
On May 2, 2025 the Irish Supervisory Authority fines TikTok a total of €530 million for infringement of Articles 13(1)(f) GDPR and Article 46(1) GDPR. The Irish Supervisory Authority (SA) has ordered TikTok to suspend the transfer of data from users in the EEA to the People’s Republic of China and to bring its processing operations into compliance with Chapter V of the GDPR within a period of 6 months.<ref>Irish Supervisory Authority fines TikTok €530 million and orders corrective measures following Inquiry into transfers of EEA User Data to China (2025, Jul, 04). edpb.europa.eu. Retrieved Aug 16, 2025, from https://www.edpb.europa.eu/news/news/2025/irish-supervisory-authority-fines-tiktok-eu530-million-and-orders-corrective_en</ref>


On Friday, August 2, 2024, the US sued TikTok, and its affiliates for violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”), and it's rules. The DOJ alleges TikTok collected, stored, and processed large amounts of data from millions of child users on its app.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Nicole |date=5 Aug 2024 |title=U.S. Sues TikTok for Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Violations |url=https://www.hunton.com/hunton-retail-law-resource/u-s-sues-tiktok-for-childrens-online-privacy-protection-act-coppa-violations}}</ref>
On Friday, August 2, 2024, the US sued TikTok, and its affiliates for violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”), and it's rules. The DOJ alleges TikTok collected, stored, and processed large amounts of data from millions of child users on its app.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Nicole |date=5 Aug 2024 |title=U.S. Sues TikTok for Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Violations |url=https://www.hunton.com/hunton-retail-law-resource/u-s-sues-tiktok-for-childrens-online-privacy-protection-act-coppa-violations |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250814135309/https://www.hunton.com/hunton-retail-law-resource/u-s-sues-tiktok-for-childrens-online-privacy-protection-act-coppa-violations |archive-date=14 Aug 2025}}</ref>


==Downloadable and Collected Data==
==Downloadable and Collected Data==

Revision as of 16:17, 14 January 2026

❗Article Status Notice: This Article is a stub

This article is underdeveloped, and needs additional work to meet the wiki's Content Guidelines and be in line with our Mission Statement for comprehensive coverage of consumer protection issues. Learn more ▼

TikTok
File:Tiktok PNG1-1180843710.png
Basic Information
Release Year 2016
Product Type Social media
In Production Yes
Official Website https://tiktok.com


TikTok is a social media platform developed by the Chinese internet technology company ByteDance Ltd. The app has been cited with numerous privacy concerns that eventually led to a US state ban in May 2023.[1]

Consumer impact summary

Overview of concerns that arise from the conduct towards users of the product (if applicable):

  • User Freedom
  • User Privacy
  • Business Model
  • Market Control

Add your text below this box. Once this section is complete, delete this box by clicking on it and pressing backspace.


User freedom

  • The app version requires an account to use the service.

User privacy

As per Privacy Policy:[2]

  • Automatically collects unreasonable heaps of information to fingerprint the user:
Technical Information we collect about you. We collect certain information about the device you use to access the Platform, such as your IP address, user agent, mobile carrier, time zone settings, identifiers for advertising purposes, model of your device, the device system, network type, your screen resolution and operating system, app and file names and types, keystroke patterns or rhythms, battery state, audio settings and connected audio devices.
  • "Keystroke patterns or rhythms" is particularly notable as the in-app browser has been demonstrated to listen to inputs from keyboard and screen, as well as injecting JavaScript code.[3]

Extensive List of Data Collected and Downloadable by the User in the Section "Downloadable and Collected Data"

Incidents

Add one-paragraph summaries of incidents below in sub-sections, which link to each incident's main article while linking to the main article and including a short summary. It is acceptable to create an incident summary before the main page for an incident has been created. To link to the page use the "Hatnote" or "Main" templates.

If the company has numerous incidents then format them in a table (see Amazon for an example).

Add your text below this box. Once this section is complete, delete this box by clicking on it and pressing backspace.


Incident Year Background Info Aftermath Related Article Related Video
Violations of Children's Privacy Laws 2019-current In 2019, the US Department of Justice sued TikTok and parent company ByteDance as well as it's associated companies for violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The companies knowingly allowed children under 13 to make accounts and unlawfully collected data and personal information of said children without parental consent.[5] TikTok, as of 2020, still has complains about allegedly still collecting and using personal data of children under 13. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/08/ftc-investigation-leads-lawsuit-against-tiktok-bytedance-flagrantly-violating-childrens-privacy-law
Suppressing "ugly", poor, or disabled creators 2020-present The Intercept published a report in 2020 stating that obtained internal documents from TikTok instructed moderators to limit the amount of videos with people who have "ugly facial looks". "abnormal body shape", or are in poor or dirty environments. The documents claim that these types of videos are "not the ideal video form of our platform"[6] A TikTok spokesperson stated that the guidelines were “an early blunt attempt at preventing bullying but are no longer in place"[7] The documents themselves

GDPR infringement Article Article 13(1)(f) & Article 46(1) GDPR (May. 2025)

On May 2, 2025 the Irish Supervisory Authority fines TikTok a total of €530 million for infringement of Articles 13(1)(f) GDPR and Article 46(1) GDPR. The Irish Supervisory Authority (SA) has ordered TikTok to suspend the transfer of data from users in the EEA to the People’s Republic of China and to bring its processing operations into compliance with Chapter V of the GDPR within a period of 6 months.[8]

On Friday, August 2, 2024, the US sued TikTok, and its affiliates for violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”), and it's rules. The DOJ alleges TikTok collected, stored, and processed large amounts of data from millions of child users on its app.[9]

Downloadable and Collected Data

From the downloadable data from the hamburger menu in the account tab > "Settings and Privacy" > "Account" > "Download your data" and selecting "TXT" file format the data collected, the provided data, as formatted at a directory level, includes:

  • Your activity:
    • Activity Summary (Videos Shared/Watched/Commented On)
    • Ad Interests (Catagories of Ads selected as "Interested")
    • Donations
    • Fundraisers
    • Hashtags (Used in public videos)
    • Instant Form Ads Responses (Details inputted on forms on the bottom of some ads)
    • Login History (Date, Time, IP, Device Model, Device System (OS), Network Type (Wi-Fi or Cellular), Carrier when opening app)*
    • Most Recent Location Data (GPS Location, Local Time and Region, if 'Location' permission enabled)*
    • Off TikTok Activity (Partner Apps Opened (e.g. eBay, Spotify, W3W)
    • Purchaces (LIVE Gifts Given/Recieved)
    • Searches (Timestamped Search History)
    • Share History (Videos Shared Off-App)
    • Status (App Version, Screen Resolution, Advertising ID and Device ID)*
    • Watch History (Timestamped Watch History)
  • Profile and Settings
    • AI-Moji (Unsure)
    • Autofill (Autofill of Instant Form Ads prompts with personal info)
    • Block List (Time stamped list of users blocked)
    • Follower (Time stamped list of who has followed you, including users with private following lists)
    • Following (Time stamped list of who you have followed)
    • Profile Information (Profile Photo, Profile Video, Username, Phone No., Email, Bio, Birthday, Gender, Likes Recieved, 3rd Party App connections (e.g. Google)
    • Settings (User-Readable Config File of TikTok account settings)
  • TikTok LIVE
    • Go LIVE History
    • Go LIVE Settings
    • Watch LIVE History
    • Watch LIVE Settings
  • TikTok Shop
    • Product Browsing History (Timestamped history of viewed items, and what shop sells the item)
    • Product Reviews
    • Return and Refunds History
    • Saved Address Information
    • Shopping Cart List
    • Vouchers (Timestamps of vouchers offered/used)
    • Communication With Shops (DMs to shops from the "Message Seller" option in TikTok Shop)
    • Current Payment Information (Censored Debit/Credit Card Details linked to TikTok Shop Account)
    • Customer Support History
    • Order Dispute History
    • Order History
  • Comments (Every Comment ever left on ANY video)
  • Direct Messages (Every DM sent either way)
  • Income+ Wallet (Creator Rewards Wallet)
  • Likes and Favourites
    • Favourite:
      • Effects
      • Hashtags
      • Sounds
      • Videos
    • Like List (Every Video Liked)
  • Location Reviews
  • Posts
    • Posts (Every Posted Video with sound, settings and timestamp)
    • Recently Deleted Posts


*Collected on App Open

See also

References

  1. ↑ Archie, Ayana (May 18, 2023). "Montana becomes the first state to ban TikTok". NPR. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved Aug 13, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Privacy Policy". TikTok. Archived from the original on 16 Aug 2025. Retrieved 14 Aug 2025.
  3. ↑ Krause, Felix (18 Aug 2022). "iOS Privacy: Announcing InAppBrowser.com - see what JavaScript commands get injected through an in-app browser". Archived from the original on 18 Aug 2022. Retrieved 14 Aug 2025. While you are interacting with the website, TikTok subscribes to all keyboard inputs (including passwords, credit card information, etc.) and every tap on the screen, like which buttons and links you click.
  4. ↑ Sato, Mia (3 Jun 2025). "TikTok will give advertisers even more data on trends and users". The Verge. Archived from the original on 3 Jun 2025. Retrieved 25 Jun 2025.
  5. ↑ "Justice Department Sues TikTok and Parent Company ByteDance for Widespread Violations of Children's Privacy Laws". Justice.gov. 2024-08-02. Archived from the original on 9 Feb 2025.
  6. ↑ Biddle1 Ribero2 Dias3, Sam1 Paulo Victor2 Tatiana3 (2020-03-16). "Invisible Censorship". The Intercept. Archived from the original on 16 Mar 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ↑ Itimu, Kiruti (2020-03-17). "TikTok Apparently Suppressed Content From Ugly or Poor People". Techweez. Archived from the original on 4 Dec 2020.
  8. ↑ Irish Supervisory Authority fines TikTok €530 million and orders corrective measures following Inquiry into transfers of EEA User Data to China (2025, Jul, 04). edpb.europa.eu. Retrieved Aug 16, 2025, from https://www.edpb.europa.eu/news/news/2025/irish-supervisory-authority-fines-tiktok-eu530-million-and-orders-corrective_en
  9. ↑ Johnson, Nicole (5 Aug 2024). "U.S. Sues TikTok for Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Violations". Archived from the original on 14 Aug 2025.
Retrieved from "https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=TikTok&oldid=33499"