What does TikTok know about you? Experts reveal how much data it collects & how to make profiles more secure

TikTok has fast become one of the most controversial apps on the internet. Last week, the UK announced the app would be banned on UK government phones due to privacy concerns from Chinese owners of the app, ByteDance. Additionally, the US is considering a ban on the app altogether unless ByteDance sells the company.

While all social media platforms collect information, experts say the risk with TikTok especially, is that it remains unclear what exactly happens to your data, where it’s stored, and with whom TikTok does or doesn’t share user data. When talking about the purpose of collecting information, the TikTok privacy policy merely includes statements such as “improving the user experience.”

TikTok claims user data is only saved on servers in Singapore and the United States rather than on Chinese servers. Indeed, it has not been possible for fact-checkers to find any transmissions to other countries, such as China. However, the claim is not completely verifiable.

A spokesperson from VPNOverview commented:  “When it comes down to it, TikTok is not a privacy-conscious app. In certain ways, it’s more invasive than other social media platforms, though it’s important to keep in mind that all social media companies collect tons of private information that they can easily sell to unknown third parties and law enforcement agencies. Users should optimise the privacy settings and make themselves aware of the platform’s data policies for their own privacy."

Fear not, Cyber security experts at VPNOverview decided to investigate how much data TikTok collects from its users, why this has led to government bans, and how users can make their profiles more secure.

So, what data is TikTok collecting from you? Here’s everything you need to know including tips from VPNOverview on how to best protect yourself.

Why has TikTok been banned from UK government phones?

The UK government banned the app on government devices following an April 2022 update giving Chinese employees access to data belonging to TikTok’s European users. This raised concerns that ByteDance might be collecting data from TikTok users and passing it on to the Chinese government.