Location information on TikTok

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Location information collected by TikTok  •  Why TikTok collects location information  •  How to turn Location Services on or off in TikTok  •  How to delete specific location data  •  How to add a location to your post  •  How to share feedback on a tagged location  •  Why some locations can't be tagged in posts 






Location information collected by TikTok


If you're 18 years or older and in a region where your device's Location Services are available for the TikTok app, and when you turn Location Services on:
•  We'll receive your approximate location from your device's Location Services, which may use GPS data. Learn more in the Google Account Help Center or Apple Support. Your approximate location information we receive from your device's Location Services is an estimate of at least 3 square kilometers (1.16 square miles) based on your current location. The area may be larger, depending on the operating system type and version that is running on your device.
•  Depending on your region, you may also have the option to turn on precise location through your device's Location Services.

Note: Depending on the manufacturer, some Android devices may prompt you to turn on precise location, even though you're in a region where only Location Services with approximate location are available. In such cases, we'll continue to ensure that only your approximate location information is collected.

In regions where your device's Location Services are not available for the TikTok app, or when you turn Location Services off:
•  We'll continue to estimate other approximate location information based on your device or network information, such as SIM card region, IP address, and device system settings.
•  The approximate location information we estimate from your device or network information is limited to the country, region, city, or, in the U.S., zip code in which you may be located.

Note: Your device’s Location Services may not be available for the TikTok app in some regions, such as Australia and the United States, and will not be available if you indicate you're under 18 years old.

We also collect the location you provide when you add a location to your post.






Why TikTok collects location information


To help us improve your app experience, we use location information for the purposes set out in our Privacy Policy, such as to show you popular content in your area, and where applicable, to show ads that may be more relevant to you. We may ask you to turn on Location Services (if available for TikTok in your region) to provide us with more accurate location information. For example, you may be prompted to turn on Location Services when you browse the For You feed or if you want to add a location to your post. Providing more accurate location information helps us show you even more relevant content and ads.






How to turn Location Services on or off in TikTok


If Location Services is available for TikTok in your region, you can choose to turn Location Services on or off in your privacy settings.

To turn Location Services on or off in TikTok:
1. In the TikTok app, tap Profile at the bottom.
2. Tap the Menu button at the top, then select Settings and privacy.
3. Tap Privacy, then tap Location Services.
4. Choose a location access permission for TikTok.

Depending on your region, you may also have the option to turn on precise location through your device's Location Services.






How to delete certain location data


In regions where Location Services are available for the TikTok app, and when you turn it on, we'll receive location data directly from your device's Location Services. We may also infer less specific information about your location from the data we receive directly from your Location Services. You can choose to delete the data that we received directly from your Location Services at any time.

To delete data that TikTok received directly from your Location Services:
1. In the TikTok app, tap Profile at the bottom.
2. Tap the Menu button at the top, then select Settings and privacy.
3. Tap Privacy, then tap Location Services.
4. Tap Delete certain location data.

Once deleted, keep in mind that we may continue to retain less specific location information previously inferred from your Location Services data or your IP address, such as the city in which you may be located.






How to add a location to your post


In some regions, you can add a location to your TikTok post.

To add a location to your post:
1. In the TikTok app, create a post.
2. On the Post screen, tap Location to search for a location or choose one of the suggested places below the search bar or Location. These lists of places are recommended based on popularity and proximity.
3. Tap Post. The tagged location will be displayed in your post.

If you post a video without adding a location, we may prompt you to add one to share more information about the place. You can search for a location to add to your post or choose one of the suggested landmarks or tourist places.






How to share feedback on a tagged location


If you find a tagged business or public location on TikTok with inaccurate location information, you can share feedback to suggest an edit. You can suggest edits on business and public locations only, such as restaurants and parks.

To share feedback on a tagged location:
1. In the TikTok app, tap the tagged location on the post.
2. Tap the Share button.
3. Tap Suggest an edit and follow the instructions provided to submit.






Why some locations can't be tagged in a post


If you can't add a location to your post or discover videos related to a location, this may be because we may not have that location available yet or we restrict certain locations from being discovered or tagged in posts to protect the safety of our users.


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