TikTok has exploded in popularity in recent years, with over 1 billion monthly active users as of 2022 (Pros and Cons of Online Social Support Exchange on Social Networks). On TikTok, user profiles are public by default, allowing anyone to view your videos, likes, comments, and list of followers/following. This means that anyone can easily “stalk” your profile without you knowing.
“Stalking” on TikTok refers to repeatedly or obsessively viewing someone’s profile and activity without interacting with them. Some signs of stalking include watching all your videos, viewing your Stories, liking old posts, and checking your profile multiple times per day. Stalkers may feel they know you through your content, even though there’s no relationship. While usually harmless, stalking can become concerning if it crosses boundaries.
Why You May Want to Know Who’s Stalking You
There are a couple main reasons why someone may be interested in knowing who is stalking their TikTok profile:
Curiosity about who is interested in your content – It’s natural to feel curious about who is watching and engaging with the content you produce on TikTok. Seeing which accounts show interest in your videos can provide insight into who your content resonates with.
Safety/privacy concerns if someone is watching too closely – In some cases, you may notice strange activity that makes you concerned someone is watching your profile too closely. This could be signs of stalking or harassment, which raises safety and privacy concerns. Knowing who is responsible can help you take action to prevent further issues.
As discussed in research, the use of social media can enable stalking behaviors that may make targets feel unsafe [1]. Being aware of those viewing your profile extensively allows you to be cautious if an unhealthy fixation seems to be developing.
TikTok Doesn’t Provide Tools to See Stalkers
Unlike some other social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok does not have a built-in feature that shows you who has viewed your profile. TikTok’s design is focused more on the short videos themselves rather than profiles, so they have not implemented tools to see profile viewers.
On Instagram, you can enable settings to get notifications when specific accounts view your profile, or see a list of accounts that have checked out your profile recently. But TikTok currently has no such functionality for its users to see who is lurking or stalking their profiles.
Some users wish TikTok would add profile view tracking features like those on Instagram or Facebook. But for now, the app does not notify users of who is looking at their profile or keep any logs or data on profile views.
Signs Someone is Stalking You
Some common signs that someone might be stalking your TikTok profile include:
Follower growth without likes or comments – If you notice your follower count increasing rapidly without a corresponding increase in likes and comments on your videos, it could mean someone is creating fake accounts to follow you and watch your videos. This is a tactic stalkers use to stay anonymous while keeping tabs on you (Source).
Views spike on old videos – If you see a sudden spike in views on your older videos, it may indicate a stalker is going through and watching your entire video catalogue. They want to learn as much about you as possible (Source).
Suspicious new followers – Stalkers will often follow you from multiple fake accounts. Pay attention if you get a flurry of new followers who don’t like or comment on your content. Their sole purpose is to watch you (Source).
Using Third-Party Analytics Sites
There are several third-party analytics sites that provide insights into who’s viewing your TikTok profile for a fee like HypeAuditor, Quintly, and Socialinsider. These sites give you analytics about your profile performance including some limited information about profile views and stalkers.
For example, HypeAuditor provides a report on your “loyal viewers” – accounts that watch the majority of your videos. While not definitive proof of stalking, accounts frequently viewing your content could indicate unwanted attention. The downside is these third-party analytics only provide partial insights based on sampling data, not complete profile view information.
Sites like HypeAuditor also have pricing plans starting around $30/month for basic stalker insights. So while third-party analytics provide some stalker detection capabilities, there are limitations in the data provided and need to pay monthly fees.
Enabling Duet Notifications
One way to get notified when someone duets your TikTok video is by enabling duet notifications in your settings. When someone makes a video reacting to your original video, TikTok will send you a notification letting you know. This can help you identify at least some of the people who are closely watching and engaging with your videos.
However, it’s important to note that many people watch TikTok videos without ever liking, commenting, dueting or otherwise interacting. So while duet notifications can alert you to some of your stalkers, there are likely many more watching your videos silently without leaving a trace. Duet notifications only reveal a small subset of those obsessed enough to actively duet your content.
According to an article on Filme, you can enable duet notifications by going to your profile, tapping the three dot menu, selecting “Settings and privacy,” then “Push notifications,” and toggling on “Duet” notifications. This will send you alerts when someone duets your TikTok videos.
Looking for Follower Overlap
One tactic to identify potential stalkers is to look for accounts that follow both you and your friends. You can search the follower lists of friends and see if any accounts show up on both yours and your friends’ follower lists. This could indicate someone who is closely following you and those in your social circle.
While this method may reveal some stalkers, it is very time consuming to cross-reference multiple follower lists. It also isn’t foolproof, as some crossover followers may follow both you and friends for legitimate reasons. Stalkers may also create multiple accounts to avoid easy detection. So while comparing followers across friend networks can provide clues, it likely won’t surface all TikTok profile stalkers.
Creating a Fake Account
One way to try to identify a stalker is by creating a fake account and using it to follow the suspect profile. If the suspect follows your fake account back, it may confirm they are stalking you.
However, creating fake accounts raises ethical concerns, as noted in research studies like “Ethical considerations when employing fake identities in online social networks for research”. Employing fake identities without proper ethical safeguards could enable deception and manipulation.
If you do create a fake account to test a potential stalker, be sure to delete it shortly after and do not use it to interact with or influence others. Overall, fake accounts should be used judiciously, if at all.
Getting Help from TikTok
If you feel you are being stalked or harassed on TikTok, you can report it directly to TikTok’s moderation team. Go to the profile of the person stalking you and tap the three dots in the upper right corner. Select “Report” and choose “Report user” > “They’re being inappropriate” > “Stalking, threatening, or bullying me.” You’ll be able to provide additional details to TikTok on the stalking behavior.
TikTok takes stalking and harassment seriously, and reporting it gives them the chance to investigate and take action if needed, such as suspending the user account. You can learn more about TikTok’s anti-bullying and harassment policies at https://www.tiktok.com/safety/en/bullying-prevention/.
You can also adjust your TikTok privacy settings to limit who can see your videos, messages, and search for your account. Go to your profile, tap the three dots, and select “Settings and privacy.” From here you can set your account to private, restrict certain ages from viewing your content, limit your visibility in search, turn off video downloads, and more. This can help prevent stalking by limiting who can access your profile and content.
When to Involve Law Enforcement
Stalking in both online and offline contexts should be taken very seriously. According to the Stalking Resource Center, stalking can escalate to violence especially when the stalker is an intimate partner or former partner. They report that nearly 1 in 4 victims of stalking will experience some form of cyberstalking such as unwanted texts or emails 1.
If you ever feel unsafe or threatened due to stalking behaviors, it’s important to contact the police and consider a restraining order. Most states have laws that specifically address cyberstalking and online harassment 2. Stalking and harassment may be investigated as potential crimes.
Law enforcement can help document a pattern of stalking behavior, assist with obtaining a restraining order, and charge the perpetrator if applicable laws are broken. Don’t hesitate to get help if you feel unsafe – you deserve to feel protected.
