TikTok’s content, known to be highly sexualized, often contains profanity and other explicit content. It encourages its users to be very creative, which is part of the reason you will hear and see sexual content. Even certain narratives are promoted. It is simple for children to create, watch, and share 15-second videos shot on mobile devices. TikTok’s highly addictive nature has youth spending hours scrolling through videos. The platform’s algorithm is designed to show users personalized content that motivates them to stay on the app for as long as possible. This can lead to negative effects on mental health, such as decreased self-esteem and addiction. This highly addictive app can track your location.

In the US, TikTok can collect biometric data including your face and voiceprint. It can also predict your age, gender and interests based on your activity. Certain permissions allow TikTok to: Access the camera and take pictures/video, use the microphone (and record sound), the device’s WIFI connection, and the full contact list on the device. TikTok can even determine if the internet is available and access it. Not only does the app receive information, including a person’s IP address, their web browsing habits, and search history, but it also allows third-party trackers on its platform, meaning your TikTok data can go into cyberspace. Those third-party trackers can also track your activity, even after you close TikTok. This data can be shared with third-party advertisers and even governments, including China’s authoritarian government. The platform has been banned in several countries, including India, due to concerns over data privacy, and its messaging feature can be used to send inappropriate messages, making it easy for strangers to contact young people and putting them at risk of online predators and grooming.