Would I recommend TikTok? No. Are you going to use it anyway? Probably.
ByteDance built TikTok. The Chinese government has legal authority over ByteDance. That’s not a conspiracy theory — that’s their national security law. TikTok is influenced by the Chinese government. Data created in the app is subject to Chinese censorship, and it is likely that personal data is collected on you and may be accessible to Chinese government entities.
⚠ WARNING: OPERATED UNDER CHINESE LAW — ALL DATA SUBJECT TO CHINESE GOVERNMENT ACCESS. Opt out of all data sharing as a baseline precaution.
DO / DON’T
DO:
- Opt out of personalized data — opting out helps prevent your data from being gathered and redistributed without your knowledge
- Ensure family members take similar precautions
- Use a picture of something other than yourself for your profile photo — profile photos are publicly viewable
DON’T:
- Provide any identifiable information (name, hobbies, job title, etc.) on your profile or in videos
- Link your TikTok account to any third-party applications (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter)
- Use identifiable locations, backgrounds, or recognizable imagery when posting videos
- Participate in or appear in other people’s videos if you want to keep your face off the platform
Account Settings
Path: Settings and Privacy > Account
- Passkey (FaceID/TouchID): Use with caution — TikTok claims they can’t access biometric data, but this cannot be fully verified
- Download your data: View all collected data — account info, posts, activity, direct messages. Do this so you know what they have.
- Deactivate or delete account: Use this BEFORE uninstalling the app if you’re leaving TikTok. Uninstalling without deleting leaves your account and data on their servers.
Privacy Settings
Path: Settings and Privacy > Privacy
- Enable Private account
- Disable Activity status
- Suggest your account to others: Disable all settings within
- Sync contacts and Facebook friends: Disable
- Do NOT link TikTok to any other social media platform
Interactions
Path: Settings and Privacy > Privacy > Interactions
- Mentions: Set to at minimum “Friends”
- Reuse of content: Set to “Only you”
- Periodically review: Manage Duet and Stitch posts
Ads
Path: Settings and Privacy > Ads
- Turn OFF Targeted ads
- Review all other sections within Ads settings
Family Pairing
Path: Settings and Privacy > Family Pairing
- If you have children on TikTok, enable this to monitor their activity — it’s the parental control feature built into the platform
Security & Permissions
Path: Settings and Privacy > Security & permissions
- Review Security alerts
- Run Security checkup
- Check Manage devices — ensure no unregistered devices are active
- Enable 2-step verification
- Disable Save login info
- Review Apps and services permissions — remove any unauthorized apps
If you are going to use TikTok: enable a private account, disable contact sync, turn off targeted ads, and use a profile photo that isn’t your face. That’s the minimum. And consider whether you need this app on a device that also holds your banking, medical, and personal information.