TikTok had over 1 billion monthly active users as of September 2022 according to TikTok themselves, making it one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. The app allows users to create and share short videos, often set to music, and is especially popular among younger users. However, concerns have been raised over the vast amounts of user data collected by TikTok and what is ultimately done with that data. TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is based in China, leading to fears that American user data could potentially be accessed by the Chinese government, although TikTok claims this data is stored in the US.
The main thesis of this article is that TikTok gathers an astonishingly large amount of user data in order to power its sophisticated recommendation algorithm and enable precise targeted advertising. User data is the fuel that drives the TikTok engine.
TikTok’s Vast Userbase
With over 1.5 billion monthly active users globally as of 2023, TikTok has become extremely popular, especially among Generation Z users in the United States and worldwide (Source). According to company data, TikTok reached 150 million monthly active users in the United States in early 2023, up from 100 million in 2021 (Source). This massive and rapidly growing userbase generates a huge amount of data for the platform.
TikTok’s popularity with younger demographics is a major factor driving its fast user growth. Over 60% of TikTok’s global audience is between the ages of 16 and 24. It has become one of the most downloaded apps worldwide, surpassing established platforms like Facebook and Instagram (Source). With more Gen Z users flocking to TikTok each day, the amount of user data collected and stored by the platform expands exponentially.
Data Collection in TikTok
When users install TikTok, the app requests several permissions to access various types of data stored on their devices. As reported by Dot LA, TikTok can collect all files and media stored on the device, location data including GPS coordinates, IP address, and network information, contacts and connections to social networks linked to TikTok accounts, phone hardware IDs, browser and search history, and biometric data from facial recognition technology [1]. These broad permissions grant TikTok expansive access to sensitive user data stored on devices.
In addition to this device data, TikTok also extensively tracks and analyzes user behavior within the app. As users interact with videos through likes, comments, shares, and watch time, TikTok records these engagement metrics to understand usage patterns and preferences. The app can capture the specific videos and content that users view, how long they view it, and their responses. According to research from Public Interest Research Groups, TikTok also stores all messages, comments, and any audio or video content created by users within the app [2]. This enables highly personalized profiling based on behavior.
Targeted Advertising
One of the main ways TikTok utilizes the vast amounts of user data it collects is for targeted advertising [1]. The app’s recommendation algorithm is designed to show users content that aligns with their interests and keep them engaged. This allows TikTok to build detailed profiles of its users and their preferences [2].
With this data, TikTok can then target highly personalized and relevant ads to each user. Advertisers value this ability to precisely reach their target demographics. The data collection and analysis enables TikTok to charge premium prices for its ad inventory and generate huge revenues from advertising [3]. The company openly states that the data it gathers is used to improve ad targeting and optimize the recommendation algorithm to be advertiser-friendly.
Recommendation Algorithm
A key driver of TikTok’s data harvesting is their sophisticated AI recommendation system. As described in Exploring TikTok’s Technology Stack, TikTok analyzes a wide range of user signals and preferences in order to recommend personalized content to each user. This helps keep users highly engaged with the platform. But it also enables TikTok to collect extensive data on user interests and patterns. The more a user interacts with the app, the more data input the algorithm has for tuning recommendations. This cyclical process results in an unparalleled level of data collection compared to other social media apps.
Facial Recognition
TikTok seems to employ facial recognition technology to gather data about its users. According to a report by Encode Justice, TikTok scans the faces in videos uploaded to its platform. This allows the algorithm to capture unique data points about users’ facial features and expressions. The technology can track details like face shape, eye position, and skin tone. Encode Justice suggests this data enables TikTok to categorize users’ appearances and better understand what types of faces drive engagement on the platform.
The use of facial recognition is controversial because of privacy concerns. Critics argue that TikTok users don’t consent to have their biometric data collected in this invasive way. Facial recognition provides extremely personal information without users’ knowledge or permission. Many feel this crosses a line, even for an advertising-based platform trying to improve its recommendations. TikTok’s lack of transparency around the practice leaves users unable to make informed decisions about their privacy.
Data Mining
TikTok collects massive amounts of data on its users, including information on in-app activity, device data, location data, and more. This data is combined with information from other platforms like Facebook to create detailed profiles of users and their online behaviors.1 Having access to such granular data on users enables TikTok to engage in micro-targeting, showing users highly customized content and ads tailored to their interests and demographics.
Data mining on TikTok occurs on an enormous scale, given its userbase of over 1 billion monthly active users. The depth of data collected, along with sophisticated algorithms, allow TikTok to map out users’ habits, relationships, and preferences to an uncanny degree. This raises privacy concerns, as users may not realize just how much of their personal information is being gathered and analyzed behind the scenes.
Lack of Transparency
Critics argue that TikTok lacks transparency when it comes to user data collection and usage. There are concerns that TikTok gathers vast amounts of user information but is not upfront about the full extent of data gathering or how the data is leveraged. As reported by The Register Forum, “TikTok has been under congressional fire over alleged opaque data collection policies and lack of sufficient privacy protections” (Source).
Some of the key transparency issues raised include:
- Unclear how much personal data is being collected – from device information to browsing history to face biometrics.
- Limited visibility into how this data is aggregated, analyzed, or monetized.
- Insufficient user controls over data collection preferences and opt-outs.
- Vague privacy policies that leave many questions unanswered.
Privacy advocates have called for TikTok to be more transparent and provide users with clearer information and controls over their data. There have been demands for TikTok to detail exactly what information is gathered, how it is used, and to enable enhanced user privacy settings. Greater transparency could help ease data privacy concerns that have sparked government scrutiny globally.
US Security Concerns
The US government has expressed concerns about TikTok’s data collection practices and the potential for the Chinese government to access user data. In 2020, then-President Trump signed executive orders to ban TikTok unless it sold its US operations to an American company.
This led to a deal for Oracle and Walmart to take a stake in TikTok’s US business, which aimed to address fears about data access. However, the deal still allowed ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to retain 80% ownership of TikTok globally.
So while the forced sale was designed to allay US security fears, TikTok’s underlying data collection practices remain unchanged. US user data is still being gathered in large volumes by a company with close ties to China.
Conclusion: The Need for Transparency and User Control
To recap, TikTok collects vast amounts of user data for several key reasons: to power its addictive recommendation algorithm, enable precise ad targeting, and facilitate features like facial recognition. With over 1 billion monthly active users generating data through views, likes, comments, and more, TikTok has access to an immense amount of information about its global userbase.
Given how core data collection is to TikTok’s platform, it’s unlikely they will voluntarily reduce or limit their data gathering practices. However, there is a clear need for greater transparency from TikTok about exactly what data they collect and how it is used. Users should also be given more control over their data and the option to limit data collection. Until then, TikTok’s trove of user data remains opaque and concerning, especially given rising tensions between the app’s Chinese owner ByteDance and Western governments. More openness and user empowerment would go a long way in easing valid privacy fears.