This one is a little different because TikTok is a China-based video-sharing app. A large portion of TikTok’s user base is children. It’s a bit of a hot button issue since they collect personal information of children under 13 without getting parental consent.

TikTok has also been accused of data harvesting. The way TikTok collects data is a bit different than Instagram and Facebook. TikTok has the ability to collect user data using contact lists, calendar access, and it can even geolocate devices.

TikTok grants all permissions by default. So basically when you download and start using TikTok you are agreeing to their privacy policy. The policy states that TikTok is allowed to collect information like the data you provided to create an account and information about your use of the app. If you set up an account using  Facebook, Google, or Twitter, TikTok can use data from those platforms as well.

First thing you should do, if you haven’t already is go into TikTok’s settings. From there you’re able to view your privacy options.