What we collect

In line with industry practices, we collect information that users choose to provide to us and information that helps the app to function, operate securely and improve people's experience. Our privacy policies, available in-app and on our website, set out, among other things, the types of information that we collect and the purpose for which it is used. While this list is not exhaustive, and we suggest that people refer to our privacy policies for more details, here are some examples of the types of information that we may collect, which includes information that you provide:

• Information that you provide when you set up an account, such as your phone number, age, username, social media account information and profile image.
• User-generated content, including comments, photographs, live streams, audio recordings, videos, text and hashtags that you choose to create with or upload to the Platform
• Your phone and social media contacts, with your permission.
• In regions where a user is able to grant, and does grant, TikTok permission to use the device's Location Services, TikTok collects location information from such device function. Such location information obtained through the device location services may use data including GPS, mobile tower information and public Wi-Fi hotspots. See this Help Centre article for information on location information we may collect.
• Technical and behavioural information, including browsing and search history within the app.
• Information on the device used to access the platform, including device model, operating system and device settings such as time zone and language.
• Network information, including IP address and mobile operator information.

What's not collected in the current version of the TikTok app

• MAC addresses, WI-FI SSID, IMEI or SIM serial number.
• Face ID, Fingerprint ID and facial, body or voice information for the purpose of uniquely identifying a person.
• Mobile-based station ID, SMS, email and voicemail content during normal app activities.

User Data Storage & Access

We invest in people, processes and technology to help ensure that data is protected so our community can discover, watch, create and share what they love with confidence. When it comes to your data, we employ a series of controls, safeguards and authorisation approval protocols to help ensure that data is only accessed by those that need it to allow our business and our service to function.

Our efforts in the US

If you join TikTok today, and you're a US user, your protected data is automatically stored in the Oracle Cloud infrastructure in the US, a secure environment that we set up to protect US user data. You can learn more about protected data here. Access to this data is managed by a vetted and approved entity called TikTok US Data Security (USDS). Any access outside of USDS (such as for business metrics or public safety) will be monitored by an outside trusted technology partner to ensure compliance. You can learn more about USDS here

Our efforts across the European Economic Area, UK and Switzerland

We're continuing to make progress on the data governance strategy that we outlined in 2021. The strategy is based on the principles of storing data locally, minimising data transfers outside of the region, and further reducing employee access to TikTok user data.

Project Clover is an initiative through which we intend to further strengthen our approach and move from meeting industry standards to setting a new standard altogether when it comes to data security.

How we recommend videos for you

When you open TikTok and land in your For You feed, you're presented with a stream of videos curated according to your interests, making it easy to find content and creators you love. This feed is powered by a recommendation system that delivers content to each user that is likely to be of interest to that particular user. Part of the magic of TikTok is that there's no one For You feed – while different people may come upon some of the same standout videos, each person's feed is unique and tailored to that specific individual.

You can learn more about how TikTok recommends videos here.