Understanding TikTok’s Privacy Settings
TikTok offers users the option to make their accounts either private or public. With a private account, only approved followers can view your profile information and videos. This allows you to maintain more control over who sees your content. As TikTok explains, “Private accounts give you the flexibility to control your audience while still being able to share videos with select friends and followers” (source).
In contrast, public accounts on TikTok allow anyone to view your profile information and videos without needing to send a follow request. This allows your content to reach the broadest possible audience. As TikTok notes, “Public accounts give you the opportunity to gain a large following, while still being able to filter incoming comments” (source).
The main benefit of a private account is increased privacy and control. A public account reaches a wider audience but sacrifices some privacy. Consider your goals and comfort level when deciding between these options.
How to Make Your TikTok Account Public
Here are the steps to change your TikTok account from private to public:
- Open the TikTok app on your mobile device and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner.
- Tap on the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner and select “Settings and privacy”.
- Under “Privacy”, tap on “Private account”.
- Toggle the switch off next to “Private account” to make your account public.
- Tap “Confirm” on the pop-up message to confirm you want to make your account public.
Once you toggle your account to public, anyone will be able to view your profile information, videos, likes, and followers without needing to send a follow request. You can still control who can comment on your videos in your privacy settings. For more details, visit TikTok’s support article: https://support.tiktok.com/en/account-and-privacy/account-privacy-settings/making-your-account-public-or-private
Who Can See a Private Account’s Content
When you make your TikTok account private, only users you approve can see your videos, likes, comments, and other content. Here’s an overview of who can and can’t view a private TikTok account:
- Followers you’ve approved – Any followers you accept can view your private videos and profile.
- People you message – If you message another user, they can see your private content even if not a follower.
- People who follow you – These users can see your profile photo, bio, and follower count but not posts.
- Non-followers – People who don’t follow you cannot see anything on your private account.
So in summary, making your account private limits your content to only those you expressly approve. It prevents random users from accessing your videos, likes, comments and more. You have full control over who can see your profile when it’s set to private.
Going from Public to Private on TikTok
If you already have a public TikTok account but want to make it private, the process is straightforward. Here are the steps:
1. Open the TikTok app and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner.
2. Tap on the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner and select “Privacy and safety”.
3. Under “Account privacy”, toggle the switch for “Private account” on. This will immediately make your account private.
4. TikTok will explain that only your existing followers will be able to see your content going forward. Tap “Confirm” to complete the process.
Once your account is set to private, only your approved followers will be able to view your videos and interact with your profile. Anyone else who visits your profile will see a request to follow button instead of your content.
You can toggle your account back to public any time by repeating the steps above and turning “Private account” off. But be aware that all of your existing content will become visible to everyone again if you make your account public. Adjust your privacy settings carefully before sharing content you want to limit.
Managing Your Followers List
One of the key features of a private TikTok account is the ability to approve or deny follower requests. When your account is set to private, anyone who wants to see your content will have to send a follow request. You’ll get a notification of new follow requests, which you can then choose to accept or deny.
To view pending requests, tap the Profile icon and go to the Followers section. You’ll see a Requests tab where you can view all outstanding requests. Tap on a user’s profile to preview their content, then tap Accept or Deny to approve or reject the request. Denied users won’t be able to view your private videos or follow your account.
You can also block other accounts if needed. Go to their profile, tap the three dots icon in the upper right, and choose Block. Blocked accounts will be completely unable to interact with your private profile or content. This gives you full control over who can access your account when it’s set to private.
Carefully managing your followers list ensures only approved accounts can view your private content. It also prevents unwanted interactions from random users when your account is private. Check follow requests and block users regularly to maintain your ideal followers list.
Private Account Settings
When your TikTok account is set to private, you have granular control over your privacy settings. According to TikTok’s support article, private accounts allow you to approve or deny each follower request individually. You can also restrict certain videos to only be visible to your approved followers. Additionally, private accounts don’t share your videos on TikTok’s public ‘For You’ feed.
To access your privacy settings for a private account, tap the profile icon in the bottom right and select ‘Settings and privacy.’ From here, you can toggle options like ‘Suggest your account to others,’ ‘Allow others to find me,’ and ‘Allow downloads.’ These settings let you restrict your discoverability and content sharing as desired. You can also enable ‘Restricted mode’ which limits mature content. Overall, TikTok provides robust customization for controlling your visibility and interactions as a private account.
Using TikTok’s Restricted Mode
TikTok has a feature called Restricted Mode that allows users to limit the appearance of content that may be inappropriate or sensitive. When enabled, Restricted Mode hides videos that contain mature themes, violence, nudity, or other adult content.
According to TikTok’s support page, Restricted Mode works by using “technology and human moderation to identify mature content”. Videos flagged as potentially inappropriate by users are reviewed by TikTok’s moderation team. If found to violate community guidelines, the videos can be removed or limited in visibility.
Restricted Mode is optional and can be enabled in the app settings. When on, it affects the user’s entire TikTok experience, including their For You feed, Following feed, and search results. Users will not see videos marked as inappropriate unless posted by accounts they follow. Turning Restricted Mode off returns full access to all content.
The goal of Restricted Mode is to provide users with more control over the content they see on TikTok. It gives an option to filter videos that may make some viewers uncomfortable or that they deem unsuitable. However, the feature is not 100% comprehensive, so inappropriate content may still slip through.
Downsides of a Private Account
While a private account offers more control over who can view your content, there are some potential drawbacks to keeping your profile private:
Lower Discoverability: Your videos will only be visible to your approved followers, which means you have a smaller potential audience. This can make it harder to gain new followers organically or go viral.
Fewer Collaborations: Creators often find new collaborators by interacting within “FYP” (For You Page). A private account limits your ability to connect with other creators.
No Verification: TikTok’s verification badge is only available for public figures and entities. Keeping your account private means you won’t qualify for verification.
Restricted Insights: Analytics like profile views and traffic sources can help optimize your content. Private accounts have limited access to these insights.
Less Passive Growth: Public accounts benefit from non-followers stumbling onto TikTok videos and deciding to follow. Private accounts rely on followers exclusively.
While privacy has its perks, weighing the pros and cons allows making the right choice for your goals on TikTok. Maintaining discoverability and growth may mean staying public.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about TikTok private accounts:
Can someone follow me if my account is private?
No, users cannot follow a private account unless the account owner approves their follow request. You have full control over who can see and follow your account when it is set to private.
Can people see my likes on a private account?
No, your likes are not visible to anyone if your account is private. Only you can see the content you have liked.
Can I prevent specific people from viewing my private account?
Yes, you can block other users which will prevent them from viewing your private profile or content. Go to your profile, tap the 3 dots next to a user’s name, and select “Block” to prevent that user from accessing your private account.
If I switch to public, will my old content be visible?
Yes, any content you posted while your account was public will be visible again if you switch your account back to public. Content posted while private will remain private.
Can I post private videos visible only to my followers?
Yes, you can set videos to be visible only to followers even if your account is public overall. Tap the lock icon when posting a video to make it followees-only.
Deciding Between Public and Private
When creating a new TikTok account, users are given the option to make their profile either public or private. It’s important to weigh the pros and cons of each to decide which is best for your needs.
The main advantage of a public account is increased discoverability. Your videos have the potential to be viewed and engaged with by any of TikTok’s one billion monthly active users. This gives you the greatest opportunity for going viral and gaining a large follower count. However, it also means anyone can comment on or share your videos without your approval.
Private accounts only allow approved followers to view posts. This allows for more control over who sees your content. It’s ideal for users who want to limit their audience to people they know, like family and close friends. However, it severely limits the ability to gain organic reach and new followers. You also won’t appear on any public trending pages or recommendations.
When deciding, consider how comfortable you are having strangers view your videos if you go public. Weigh the desire for privacy versus discovery. You can always start private and switch to public later, if you prefer. But it’s important to understand the implications to make the right choice for your needs.
