https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-new-privacy-policy/ Skip to main content SECURITY POLITICS THE BIG STORY BUSINESS SCIENCE CULTURE REVIEWS Newsletters Featured Best Office ChairsBone Conduction HeadphonesBest Digital Notebooks Best Motorola PhonesTCL DealDeals Delivered Security Politics The Big Story Business Science Culture Reviews More The Big InterviewMagazineEventsWIRED InsiderWIRED Consulting Newsletters Podcasts Video Merch Search Sign In Sign In Reece Rogers Gear Jan 23, 2026 4:26 PM TikTok Is Now Collecting Even More Data About Its Users. Here Are the 3 Biggest Changes According to its new privacy policy, TikTok now collects more data on its users, including their precise location, after majority ownership officially switched to a group based in the US. CHONGQING CHINA JANUARY 23 In this photo illustration a smartphone displays the TikTok application page on the Apple... Photograph: Cheng Xin/Getty Images Save this story Save this story When TikTok users in the US opened the app today, they were greeted with a pop-up asking them to agree to the social media platform's new terms of service and privacy policy before they could resume scrolling. These changes are part of TikTok's transition to new ownership. In order to continue operating in the US, TikTok was compelled by the US government to transition from Chinese control to a new, American-majority corporate entity. Called TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, the new entity is made up of a group of investors that includes the software company Oracle. It's easy to tap Agree and keep on scrolling through videos on TikTok, so users might not fully understand the extent of changes they are agreeing to with this pop-up. Now that it's under US-based ownership, TikTok potentially collects more detailed information about its users, including precise location data. A spokesperson for TikTok USDS declined to comment. Here are the three biggest changes to TikTok's privacy policy that users should know about. TikTok Adds Precise Location Tracking TikTok's change in location tracking is one of the most notable updates in this new privacy policy. Before this update, the app did not collect the precise, GPS-derived location data of US users. Now, if you give TikTok permission to use your phone's location services, then the app may collect granular information about your exact whereabouts. Similar kinds of precise location data is also tracked by other social media apps, like Instagram and X. Old Privacy Policy: We collect information about your approximate location, including location information based on your SIM card and/or IP address. In addition, we collect location information (such as tourist attractions, shops, or other points of interest) if you choose to add the location information to your User Content. Current versions of the app do not collect precise or approximate GPS information from US users. New Privacy Policy: We automatically collect certain information from you when you use the Services, including ... location information about your approximate location based on your device and network information, such as SIM card region, IP address, and device system settings. We also collect information, such as tourist attractions, shops, or other points of interest, if you choose to add the location to your user content. Also, if you choose to enable location services for the TikTok app within your device settings, we collect approximate or precise location information from your device. TikTok Now Tracks AI Interactions Rather than an adjustment, TikTok's policy on AI interactions adds a new topic to the privacy policy document. Now, users' interactions with any of TikTok's AI tools explicitly fall under data that the service may collect and store. This includes any prompts as well as the AI-generated outputs. The metadata attached to your interactions with AI tools may also be automatically logged. Old Privacy Policy: (These AI interactions are not explicitly mentioned in the past policy.) New Privacy Policy: When you create an account, upload content, contact us directly, or otherwise use the Services, you may provide some or all of the following information ... AI interactions, including prompts, questions, files, and other types of information that you submit to our AI-powered interfaces, as well as the responses they generate. We automatically collect certain information from you when you use the Services, including ... metadata that is automatically uploaded in connection with your user content, messages, or AI interactions, such as how, when, where, and by whom the user content was created, or message or prompt was sent. Metadata may also include information, such as your username, that enables your user content to be traced back to your account by other users. TikTok Expands Its Ads Network This change to TikTok's privacy policy may not be as immediately noticeable to users, but it will likely have an impact on the types of ads you see outside of TikTok. So, rather than just using your collected data to target you while using the app, TikTok may now further leverage that info to serve you more relevant ads wherever you go online. As part of this advertising change, TikTok also now explicitly mentions publishers as one kind of partner the platform works with to get new data. Old Privacy Policy: Advertisers, measurement, and other partners share information with us about you and the actions you have taken outside of the Platform, such as your activities on other websites and apps or in stores, including the products or services you purchased, online or in person. These partners also share information with us, such as mobile identifiers for advertising, hashed email addresses and phone numbers, and cookie identifiers, which we use to help match you and your actions outside of the Platform with your TikTok account. New Privacy Policy: Advertisers, publishers, and measurement and other partners provide us with information about you and the actions you have taken outside of our websites and apps, including the pages you visit, products or services you purchase, and apps you download. These partners also provide information such as mobile identifiers for advertising, hashed email addresses and phone numbers, and cookie identifiers, which we use to help measure the effectiveness of ads we serve and to better deliver ads to you on our websites and apps, or through TikTok Ad Network elsewhere online, depending on your ads settings. Comments Back to top You Might Also Like * In your inbox: The biggest tech news coming out of China * The real AI talent war is for plumbers and electricians * Big Story: How ICE uprooted normal life in Minneapolis * Dumbphone owners have lost their minds * Listen: Wikipedia's founder on the threats to its future [Reece] Reece Rogers is WIRED's service writer, focused on explaining crucial topics and helping readers get the most out of their technology. Prior to WIRED, Reece covered streaming at Business Insider. ... Read More Service Writer TopicsTikTokprivacysoftwareAppsSocial Media Read More Ads Are Coming to ChatGPT. Here's How They'll Work Ads Are Coming to ChatGPT. Here's How They'll Work OpenAI says ads will not influence ChatGPT's responses, and that it won't sell user data to advertisers. 8 WhatsApp Features to Boost Your Security and Privacy 8 WhatsApp Features to Boost Your Security and Privacy Meta's end-to-end encrypted messaging app is used by billions of people. Here's how to make sure you're one of the most locked-down ones out there. TikTok Shop Showed Me Search Suggestions for Products With Nazi Symbolism TikTok Shop Showed Me Search Suggestions for Products With Nazi Symbolism Even after TikTok removed swastika jewelry from its online shop, I was algorithmically nudged toward a web of Nazi-related products during searches, like "double lightning bolt" and "ss" necklaces. How to Manage Files on iOS and Android How to Manage Files on iOS and Android You have more access to your phone's file system than you may think. You've Got a Public Reddit Profile. Here's How to Curate It You've Got a Public Reddit Profile. Here's How to Curate It Make your profile page look good--and make sure you're not sharing more than you want to. Save With Our Google Workspace Promo Codes for 2026 Save With Our Google Workspace Promo Codes for 2026 Boost your productivity and save with exclusive Google Workspace coupons from WIRED. Get up to 14% off plans for three months, including Starter, Standard, and Plus tiers. The US Invaded Venezuela and Captured Nicolas Maduro. ChatGPT Disagrees The US Invaded Venezuela and Captured Nicolas Maduro. ChatGPT Disagrees Some AI chatbots have a surprisingly good handle on breaking news. Others decidedly don't. How to Protect Your iPhone or Android Device From Spyware How to Protect Your iPhone or Android Device From Spyware Being targeted by sophisticated spyware is relatively rare, but experts say that everyone needs to stay vigilant as this dangerous malware continues to proliferate worldwide. Roblox's AI-Powered Age Verification Is a Complete Mess Roblox's AI-Powered Age Verification Is a Complete Mess Kids are being identified as adults--and vice versa--on Roblox, while age-verified accounts are already being sold online. Anthropic's Claude Cowork Is an AI Agent That Actually Works Anthropic's Claude Cowork Is an AI Agent That Actually Works Cowork is a user-friendly version of Anthropic's Claude Code AI-powered tool that's built for file management and basic computing tasks. Here's what it's like to use it. AI-Powered Disinformation Swarms Are Coming for Democracy AI-Powered Disinformation Swarms Are Coming for Democracy Advances in artificial intelligence are creating a perfect storm for those seeking to spread disinformation at unprecedented speed and scale. And it's virtually impossible to detect. You Can Track Plenty of Fitness Stats With Just Your Phone&-No Wearables Required You Can Track Plenty of Fitness Stats With Just Your Phone--No Wearables Required Log your steps, track your sleep, and measure your progress toward your goals using your phone alone. Wired Coupons https://www.wired.com/coupon-element/static/shop/52309/logo/ squarespace_promo_code.png Squarespace Promo Code Exclusive 10% Off Squarespace Promo Code https://www.wired.com/coupon-element/static/shop/52280/logo/ lg_promo_code.png LG Promo Code Buy an eligible French Door Refrigerator and get a free Single Door Refrigerator (up to $515 value)! https://www.wired.com/coupon-element/static/shop/52269/logo/ dell_coupon_code.png Dell Coupon Code 10% off Dell Coupon Code for New Customers https://www.wired.com/coupon-element/static/shop/52261/logo/ samsung_promo_code.png Samsung Promo Code Samsung Promo Code: 10% off TVs https://www.wired.com/coupon-element/static/shop/52272/logo/ canon_promo_code.png Canon Promo Code 10% off Canon promo code with upgrade https://www.wired.com/coupon-element/static/shop/52689/logo/ doordash_promo_code.png DoorDash Promo Code $25 off $25+ DoorDash Promo Code for New Customers WIRED WIRED is obsessed with what comes next. Through rigorous investigations and game-changing reporting, we tell stories that don't just reflect the moment--they help create it. When you look back in 10, 20, even 50 years, WIRED will be the publication that led the story of the present, mapped the people, products, and ideas defining it, and explained how those forces forged the future. WIRED: For Future Reference. * Subscribe * Newsletters * Travel * FAQ * WIRED Staff * WIRED Education * Editorial Standards * Archive * RSS * Site Map * Accessibility Help * Reviews * Buying Guides * Streaming Guides * Wearables * Coupons * Gift Guides * Advertise * Contact Us * Manage Account * Jobs * Press Center * Conde Nast Store * User Agreement * Privacy Policy * Your California Privacy Rights (c) 2026 Conde Nast. All rights reserved. WIRED may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Conde Nast. Ad Choices Select international site United States * Italia * Japon * Czech Republic & Slovakia * * * * * *