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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 at least 18 years old, in a region where your device's Location Services are available for the TikTok app, and you've turned on Location Services, we'll receive:
• Approximate location from your device, with your permission. 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 high-level determination of a device's GPS positioning. The area may be larger, depending on the operating system type and version that is running on your device; or
• Precise location from your device, with your permission. Your precise location information will be accurate to 0-200 meters based on a highly-accurate determination of a device's GPS positioning.
To enable Location Services, you'll need to grant permission within your device's settings. You'll have the option to choose whether Location Services rely on approximate or precise location information when authorizing Location Services on your device. Learn more on the Google Account Help Center or Apple Support.
Important things to know about location information on TikTok:
• Depending on your region and your device's Location Service setting, your location information might be processed or updated when you use certain TikTok features to help enhance your experience.
• 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.
• We also collect the location you provide when you add a location to your post.
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 network information, such as SIM card region, IP address, and system settings.
Note: Your device’s Location Services may not be available for the TikTok app in some regions, and will not be available if you indicate you're under 18 years old.
Why TikTok collects location information
To help us improve your app experience and provide you with more relevant recommendations, we use location information for the purposes set out in our Privacy Policy, including:
• Recommend relevant content to you, including content that may relate to a location near you.
• Recommend relevant location tags when you create a post. We'll use location information to identify and recommend potential locations nearby, so you can add a location to your post.
• Provide information to you about your distance from locations that may be tagged in content.
• Recommend ads that may be relevant to you.
We also use your location information to review and improve the above user experiences. 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. When enabling Location Services on your device, you can choose to allow us to collect precise or approximate location information for these purposes.
How to turn Location Services on or off in TikTok
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.
Note: Location Services may not be available in your region.
How to delete certain location data
In regions where Location Services is available for the TikTok app, we'll receive location data from your device's Location Services when it's turned on. 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
Depending on your region, you can add a location to your TikTok post.
To add a location to your post:
1. In the TikTok app, create your post.
2. On the Post screen:
༚ Tap Location to search for a location or choose one of the suggested places.
༚ Select one of the suggested places listed below Location. These places are recommended based on various factors such as popularity, proximity (current or past), and content from your post (such as text, images, or hashtags featured in your video). You may need to scroll across to see more options.
3. Tap Post. The tagged location will be displayed in your post.
If you post a video or photo without adding a location, we may prompt you to add one to share more information about the context of your post.
How to share feedback on a tagged location
If you find a tagged business or public location on TikTok, such as restaurants and parks, with inaccurate location information, you can share feedback to suggest an edit.
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 steps provided.
Why some locations can't be tagged in a post
If you can't add a specific location to your post or discover videos related to a location, this may be because we have not made that location available yet, or we've restricted that location from being tagged in posts to protect the safety of people on TikTok.