(NEW YORK TIMES)
TikTok has changed its terms and conditions and privacy policies for American users, expanding its ability to target advertising and track the location of people who give the app permission to do so.
The update came after ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese owner, spun out an American TikTok entity Thursday as part of a deal to continue operations in the United States.
The revised privacy policy includes a statement that the new US TikTok will share some data with TikTok’s global operations to ensure that users have an "interoperable experience.” It said it was sharing that data "consistent with applicable law.”
American users started seeing a pop-up message Thursday as they logged into the app asking them to agree to the new terms.
Here’s what to know:
Privacy Policy
The language around user location permissions was updated.
The new version of the privacy policy says that if users enable location services, TikTok can now collect approximate or precise location information. People can opt out of this through their device settings.
Targeted Advertising
TikTok’s targeted advertising terms also changed. The pop-up message said the new terms changed the way the app would use people’s information "to show you ads outside TikTok.”
The language in the new policy said TikTok would use the data it collected from users and third parties to show "customised ads and other sponsored content” both on TikTok and on other websites. Users can adjust their advertising permissions in the app, it said.
Generative Artificial Intelligence
TikTok’s previous terms and conditions did not have a section on generative AI. The new terms include one.
The language outlines some new rules around making and posting AI content. Some of them forbid people to imply that any AI-generated content is real, including by removing watermarks or metadata that may help identify it as fake.