TikTok Safety and Protecting Methods for Yourself and Your Content

Since the President of the United States has brought up TikTok’s possible risks, everyone is wondering if it’s safe. However, just because people are worried doesn’t mean it’s truly unsafe for users. We would probably still use it if false information is the biggest threat.

Does that mean that’s the only risk of TikTok? We looked into the most recent security problems and scandals to find out if TikTok is safe for you and your kids to use. What we discovered is this.

How safe is TikTok?

TikTok is a safe social media site, but there are a few things you should know! Even though the app doesn’t have any viruses or steal personal information from its users, there are still some risks that come with using TikTok. We use a home security system even though our house is safe. In the same way, TikTok is safe, but you should still be careful when you use it, especially since some people are on there to take advantage of others.

TikTok and Your Private Life

Privacy is a big part of the conversation when we talk about web safety. I think that’s truer when we talk about social media sites because they invade users’ privacy more than other types of sites. Make sure you understand and agree with TikTok’s privacy policy before you sign up for an account.

How does TikTok gather information?

TikTok may know more about you than your best friend. We found that out when we read TikTok’s privacy rules. The first thing you should know is that TikTok asks its users for details like

• Personal information: When you make an account, TikTok will keep any personal information you give them, like your username, password, birthday, email address, phone number, or anything you write in your story. It will also keep your picture or video, so if you add a face, TikTok will know what you look like.
• TikTok also knows and remembers the things you make and watch, like the language you choose, the audio and video you share or make, and even your comments and live streams.
• TikTok keeps track of what you do in the app and collects information about that. It keeps track of the videos you watch and adds to your “Favourites” list. Then, it uses that information to suggest blogs and videos for you to follow. It also makes a profile of you based on your gender, hobbies, ad views, and other things.
• Information from other sites: If you use more than one website at the same time, TikTok may get information about you from those other sites. TikTok will get and keep information about your public profile if you sign up with Facebook, for example.
• Tech details: TikTok keeps track of a lot of technical details about its users’ phones and networks, such as their IP addresses, device IDs, mobile providers, operating systems, and more. To put it simply, TikTok will know what gadget and network you’re using to browse.
• Location: Your IP address and SIM card tell TikTok roughly where you are by default. If you permit it, it can also use your device’s GPS to find you exactly.

How to Keep Your TikTok Account Safe

Here are some ways to keep yourself safe on TikTok. You can use some of these steps on other websites and social media sites too.

1) Don’t disclose much about your personal life on social media. Your friends and followers don’t need to know everything. Personal information like your name, home address, or personal email address should never be shared.

2) Set limits on your account: You can control who can see, comment on, and share your videos on TikTok by changing the private settings.

3) Make it Private: If you make your account private, only people who follow you will be able to see what you post on TikTok. You can also say no to people you don’t know who want to follow you.

4) Turn on two-step verification. This will stop people, even if they know your login information, from getting into your TikTok account. With two-step verification, you’ll need to use your registered phone number or email to accept login requests.

5) Strong Password: You shouldn’t use the same password for more than one account. Each password should be different. So, even if someone gets into your account, your passwords for your other online accounts will still be safe.

6) Use a Virtual Private Network: Use a virtual private network to hide your IP address and stop ads from tracking you. This is good digital hygiene. Read our list of the best VPNs to get an idea of what you can do.

Wrapping It Up

Even though TikTok is a real app that is usually safe, you should still be careful when you use it. Users of this social media app should be aware of scams, bugs, and people who want to steal your data.

People who use TikTok should also know that the app gets a lot of information about them, such as personal details, location data, user content, and information about how they use the app. Of course, this isn’t just true for TikTok; it’s true for most social media sites as well. Some of the other people that TikTok shares that information with are service providers, payment processors, law officials, business partners, and more.

TikTok does have security steps in place, but it’s not very clear what those measures are. To stay safe on the app, don’t share too much personal information, make your account private, use a strong password, turn on two-step verification, and follow other good digital security habits.