When signing up for a TikTok account, users are prompted to provide either a phone number or email address. TikTok requests a phone number from users during the sign-up process for several important reasons related to verifying accounts, enhancing security, age verification, suggesting contacts, enabling targeted ads, communicating with users, and complying with legal regulations.
Verifying Accounts
TikTok requires users to provide a phone number when creating an account in order to verify their identity and confirm they are a real person. This helps prevent fake accounts, bots, and trolls from overrunning the platform. According to TikTok’s Help Center, “Tap Manage account, then tap Phone number. 5. Enter your phone number, then tap Send code to verify your identity. 6. Enter the verification code sent to your…” (source). Phone number verification adds an extra layer of security beyond just an email and password. Once a phone number is associated with a TikTok account, it allows for additional verification via text message when logging in from a new device. Overall, mandatory phone number verification is an important part of TikTok’s efforts to maintain trust and safety across its community.
Security
TikTok uses phone numbers to help secure accounts and prevent hacking. When you link your phone number to your TikTok account, it enables two-factor authentication, which provides an extra layer of security beyond just a password. If someone tries to log into your account from a new device, TikTok will send a verification code to your phone that must be entered before accessing your account. This prevents unauthorized access even if someone guesses or steals your password. According to TikTok’s help center article on account security, linking a phone number is an important way to keep your account safe from hackers.
Age Verification
TikTok uses phone numbers as one method to verify a user’s age and confirm they are old enough to use the platform. This is part of their approach to comply with COPPA regulations that restrict services being provided to children under 13 without parental consent.
When a user signs up for TikTok, they are prompted to enter their birthday. If the birthdate indicates they are below the minimum age, TikTok will attempt to verify their age using details like a phone number or photo ID. Entering a valid phone number helps confirm the user is old enough to use TikTok.
Phone number verification is one of the main ways TikTok checks if a user is old enough if their account gets flagged. This allows underage users to appeal and provide proof of age to regain access. Overall, collecting phone numbers allows TikTok to enforce its age policies.
Suggesting Contacts
One reason TikTok asks for your phone number is to suggest friends and contacts who also use the app. If you provide your phone number and are over 16, TikTok will by default compare your contacts to other TikTok users to recommend accounts to follow (source). This allows you to easily find and connect with people you know in real life who are also on TikTok.
TikTok does this by cross-referencing phone numbers uploaded by users to suggest accounts to follow from your contacts list. If your friends also provided their phone numbers, TikTok can match your contacts and recommend those accounts. Some users find this feature helpful for finding people they know, while others prefer to keep their contacts private and disable the setting.
Targeted Advertising
One of the main reasons TikTok requests phone numbers is to improve targeted advertising. By linking phone numbers to user accounts and activity, TikTok can build detailed profiles of its users’ interests, behaviors, demographics, and more. This allows advertisers on the platform to precisely target users who are most likely to engage with their ads.
As explained in TikTok’s Privacy Policy, phone numbers provided by users may be used for “advertising purposes” including “targeted advertising.” TikTok’s ad targeting options allow marketers to target users by age, gender, interests, behaviors, and other attributes inferred from the data TikTok collects. Phone numbers help TikTok connect the dots between different devices and better determine users’ demographics and interests for ad targeting.
Overall, requiring phone numbers allows TikTok to improve its data profiles on users and serve them more “relevant” ad content – though this comes at the cost of increased data collection and utilization without users’ full understanding.
Communications
TikTok may use provided phone numbers as a way to communicate with users. For example, TikTok may send SMS messages to verify accounts, provide account security alerts, deliver promotional offers or product updates, and more. Users can also opt-in to receive some communications over SMS.
According to TikTok’s Privacy Policy, “We may use your contact information to send transactional communications via email, SMS, and social media DM, including confirming your account creation, notifying you when you’ve been tagged in a video or mentioned in a comment, responding to your customer support inquiries or requests, providing software updates, security alerts, notice of suspension or bans of your account, and otherwise as part of our provision of the Services.”
While TikTok doesn’t sell or rent phone numbers to third parties, users should be aware that providing a phone number enables direct communication from TikTok. Users can opt-out of promotional or marketing messages in Settings.
Legal Compliance
TikTok collects phone numbers in part to comply with laws and regulations in various countries and regions where the app operates. For example, in the European Union, TikTok must verify user ages under the General Data Protection Regulation which requires parental consent for users under 16. Collecting phone numbers allows TikTok to take steps to confirm users are old enough to use the app legally.
TikTok also may need to provide user information, including phone numbers, to law enforcement and government agencies when required by subpoenas, court orders, search warrants or other legal processes. TikTok’s Law Enforcement Guidelines outline the protocols for these information requests.
By collecting phone numbers from users upfront during the registration process, TikTok positions itself to comply with regional laws and regulations as well as requests from law enforcement and government entities. While users may be hesitant to provide their phone number, it allows TikTok to operate legally across global markets.
Account Recovery
If you forget your password or get locked out of your TikTok account, providing your phone number can help you recover access. TikTok allows users to recover access to their account using either their phone number or email address (source). This is an important account security feature in case you forget your password or your account gets compromised. By associating your phone number with your TikTok account, you have a reliable way to prove you own the account and regain access if needed. This can prevent you from losing access permanently if you forget your password. Overall, allowing TikTok to store your phone number provides you with a convenient method to recover your account if you ever get locked out, helping ensure you don’t lose access to your account.
Conclusion
In summary, TikTok requires user phone numbers for several key reasons related to account security, legal compliance, and advertising. By verifying identities with phone numbers, TikTok can better detect fake accounts and prevent misuse of the platform. Phone numbers also allow TikTok to confirm users meet minimum age requirements in certain regions. On the advertising side, phone numbers enable more targeted ads based on user data. While data privacy is always a valid concern, TikTok states user phone numbers are stored securely and only used for authorized purposes. Overall, phone numbers provide a crucial way for TikTok to verify real users, customize the experience, and operate legally as a global social media platform.
