What Does It Mean For A TikTok Account To Be Private?
A TikTok account that is set to private means that the account’s content, profile information, likes, followers, and who they follow is hidden and not publicly accessible (https://www.tiktok.com/discover/what-does-a-private-tiktok-account-mean). Only approved followers can view or interact with a private TikTok account.
When a TikTok account is made private, all of the account’s videos, profile bio, likes, followers, and following lists are hidden from users who are not approved followers. This allows the account owner to control who can view and engage with their content.
In order to view or interact with a private TikTok account, users must send a follow request to the account owner. The account owner then has the option to approve or deny the request. Once approved, the user can view and comment on videos, see profile information, and view likes/followers as if the account was public. Private accounts give users more control over their audience and privacy.
Ways To View A Private TikTok Account
There are a few different methods that can potentially allow you to view a private TikTok account, with various limitations:
Accept a follow request from the private account owner to gain access – If you receive a follow request from a private account, accepting this will allow you to view their content. However, this relies on the account owner initiating contact.
Use a secondary ‘finsta’ account to follow privately – Creating a separate private “fake” account just to follow certain accounts can work, but goes against TikTok’s guidelines. Additionally, the account owner would need to approve the follow request. Source
View via a collaborator’s livestream featuring the private account’s content – If someone you follow goes live with a private account you want to view, you can see their content through the livestream. But this is reliant on collaborations with that private account.
While possible in limited cases, there are ethical concerns around trying to access private accounts that have not granted permission. Respecting privacy should be the priority.
Limits Of Viewing Private Accounts
There are significant limitations to viewing a private TikTok account if you are not already following that person. Unlike a public account where all content is visible, private accounts restrict access to only approved followers.
If you are not following a private account, you cannot see any of their previous posts or videos unless they have specifically allowed you to view them. This includes not having access to features like their favorites, likes, follower or following lists that are viewable on public accounts.
The owner of a private account will also be notified when you view their profile page, even without following them. This allows them to have greater awareness of who is attempting to access their private content.
Essentially, private accounts on TikTok provide the account owner much more control over their visibility and privacy. Unless you are an approved follower, there is no way to freely browse or access the content (source). The only information available is limited profile details like their username and photo.
Ethical Considerations
When it comes to viewing private TikTok accounts, it’s important to respect the account owners’ privacy and wishes. Just because you may have technical ways to view a private profile does not mean you should access or share that content without permission.
Attempting to circumvent privacy restrictions by creating secondary accounts or logging in through someone else’s account is unethical. Private content is meant to be limited to certain audiences, and trying to bypass those limits undermines the account owner’s choice to make their account private.
If you do gain access to private TikTok content through legitimate means, avoid reposting or sharing that content publicly without the creator’s consent. Even if you give them credit, redistributing private content can make account owners feel violated and discourage them from posting.
Overall, the ethical approach is to assume if an account is private, the owner intends the content to remain private. Accessing or spreading private content without permission is not only unethical but can also carry legal consequences depending on the situation. When in doubt, it’s best to respect privacy and consent.
TikTok’s Private Account Policies
Part of TikTok’s mission is to give creators control over their content. TikTok has implemented strict policies around private accounts to enable this. As stated in their Privacy Policy, users have the ability to make their accounts private. This means only approved followers can view videos, likes, bio information, and follower/following lists.
TikTok prohibits trying to circumvent these privacy controls and view private content without permission. As per their Community Guidelines, attempting to gain access to private accounts without consent is considered harassment. Violators can be reported and may have their accounts banned.
These policies also allow younger users to protect themselves online. TikTok users under 16 automatically have private accounts by default. This prevents unwanted contact from strangers. TikTok’s private account settings empower users to control their digital presence.
Making An Account Private
To make a TikTok account private, users need to adjust their privacy settings in the app:
1. Open the TikTok app and go to your profile page. Tap the three dots or hamburger menu icon in the top right corner.
2. Select “Privacy and safety” from the menu.
3. Toggle the “Private account” setting to on. This will make your account private.
4. You can also customize other privacy options here, like who can view your liked videos, comment on your videos, and more. Adjust these to your comfort level.
Making an account private prevents people who don’t follow you from viewing your profile and videos. Only approved followers will be able to see your content.
Why Users Make Accounts Private
Many TikTok users decide to make their accounts private in order to have more control over their audience and commenting. With a private account, users can approve or deny followers, limiting their audience to people they know and trust. This helps avoid potential harassment or bullying from strangers on the platform.
Another key reason is to only share content with friends. By making an account private, users can ensure that their videos and profile information are only visible to followers they accept, like close friends and family. This allows them to post more personal or silly content meant for a smaller inner circle, without worrying about judgment from the larger TikTok community.
Overall, the main motivations for making an account private stem from users wanting to avoid negativity, protect their privacy, and share content within a limited, trusted network. TikTok’s private account settings enable users to tailor their experience and retain more control over who interacts with their profile.
Troubleshooting Issues With Private Accounts
If you are having trouble viewing a private TikTok account you’ve requested to follow or have already followed, there are some troubleshooting steps you can try:
Confirm that you have follow requests and notifications enabled in your TikTok account settings. TikTok will send you a notification when your follow request is approved by the private account owner. If you don’t have notifications enabled, you may miss this and be unaware your request has been approved.
Check to see if you may have been blocked by the private account owner. If you are blocked, you will be unable to view the account even if you have sent a follow request. The only way to resolve this is to contact the account owner directly and request to be unblocked.
If you believe there are technical issues preventing you from viewing a private account you should have access to, you can contact TikTok support for assistance. Provide details on the specific account and troubleshooting steps you’ve tried.
Overall, be patient and remember that private account owners have full discretion over who they approve to follow them. Continually sending follow requests to an account that has not approved you could be seen as harassment. Respect other users’ privacy choices.
Respecting Privacy
When viewing private TikTok accounts, it’s important to respect the account owner’s privacy. Don’t pressure private account owners to accept follow requests or use workarounds to bypass their privacy settings. Understand that the choice to stay private is personal and may be for many legitimate reasons like avoiding harassment, maintaining separation of personal and professional lives, or limiting audience. While private accounts limit reach, the choice should be respected. As this Reddit discussion highlights, TikTok has had issues fully enforcing privacy settings in the past. This underscores the importance of respecting others’ expectations of privacy.
If someone does not wish to approve a follow request, it’s best not to take offense or make multiple requests. Continue enjoying the public content that is available or move on. For minors especially, avoid pressuring them to change privacy settings or accept requests. Overall, err on the side of respecting privacy choices on TikTok.
Key Takeaways
Private TikTok accounts limit visibility for safety and control. The owners of these accounts get to choose who can view their content, follow their activity, and interact with them on the platform. By making an account private, users take steps to protect their privacy and security.
Follow requests allow access if accepted by the account owner. If you want to view a private profile, you can send a request to follow the user. However, it is ultimately up to the owner to accept or deny your request. You should not expect or demand access simply by requesting it.
Respect account owners’ preferences for privacy. If someone has opted to make their account private, you should respect their choice without taking offense. There are many valid reasons people want to control their visibility, and it is important to honor their privacy and autonomy on the platform.
