TikTok after the US sale: What changed and how to use it safely

Since quality broke successful precocious January that TikTok's U.S. operations would determination nether American-led ownership, galore radical who antecedently avoided the app are reconsidering. The displacement has reopened conversations among parents, educators and older adults who erstwhile viewed TikTok arsenic off-limits owed to overseas ownership concerns.

One scholar summed up that hesitation intelligibly successful an email we received. It reflects a question galore families are asking close now.

"I work a summary of the approved associated task woody betwixt China (20%) and U.S. Investors (80%). We bash not person a TikTok relationship astatine this time. We've been pursuing done the media astir the adjuvant shorts and are considering opening an account, erstwhile the woody is consummated and power of accounts is successful the hands of the U.S. side. Yet, we are not techies and are inactive acrophobic astir the information of said accounts."

That interest is understandable. For years, TikTok raised morganatic questions astir overseas ownership, information entree and nationalist security. Those concerns were superior capable to trigger authorities bans, lawsuits and beardown warnings to families. Now, that section has shifted. TikTok's U.S. operations present beryllium nether a U.S.-led ownership structure, with American investors holding a controlling involvement and operational authority. That alteration matters. But it does not automatically alteration however the level behaves. The much utile question contiguous is not whether TikTok is allowed. It is however to usage it wisely, with wide boundaries and amended controls, particularly for kids and teens. That is what this usher is about.

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TikTok’s displacement to U.S.-led ownership has parents and older adults reconsidering the app aft years of information concerns tied to overseas control. (Kayla Bartkowski/ Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

What the US ownership alteration really improves

It is important to admit what is antithetic now.

US governance and control

TikTok's U.S. operations are nary longer controlled by a China-based genitor company. This removes the hazard of nonstop entree nether Chinese nationalist information laws.

Stronger regulatory oversight

The level present operates nether U.S. privateness expectations, enforcement standards and legislature scrutiny. That brings clearer guardrails astir information handling.

Clear accountability

When thing goes wrong, work sits successful 1 jurisdiction. There is nary ambiguity astir who answers for it. That is meaningful progress, particularly for families who avoided TikTok wholly owed to concerns astir ownership.

What TikTok says the caller US operation safeguards

TikTok says its U.S. operations present tally done TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, a bulk American-owned entity created nether an enforcement bid signed connected Sept. 25, 2025. According to the company, the associated task is designed to support U.S. idiosyncratic data, unafraid the proposal algorithm and oversee spot and information decisions for American users. TikTok says U.S. idiosyncratic information is stored successful Oracle's unafraid U.S.-based unreality situation and protected done a broad privateness and cybersecurity programme that is audited and certified by third-party experts.

The institution besides says the proposal algorithm utilized for U.S. users is retrained, tested and secured wrong the United States. TikTok adds that the associated task has decision-making authorization implicit spot and information policies and contented moderation for U.S. users, with ongoing transparency reporting and autarkic oversight. These safeguards absorption connected wherever information is stored, who governs it and however systems are audited, not connected eliminating information postulation oregon personalization.

What has not changed astatine all

Here is the portion galore radical overlook.

Even with caller ownership, TikTok inactive operates connected the aforesaid halfway concern exemplary arsenic each large societal media platform.

• It tracks what you ticker and however agelong you watch.
• It learns your interests and habits.
• It uses that accusation to signifier your provender and people advertising.

TikTok remains exceptionally effectual astatine this. Its proposal strategy adapts quickly, which explains some its popularity and its influence. That powerfulness makes privateness settings much important than ever.

A smarter mode to usage TikTok arsenic a family

Pretending TikTok does not beryllium seldom works. Kids perceive astir it from friends. Adults spot utile videos shared crossed different platforms. A amended attack is to acceptable up intentionally from the start. The steps beneath bash not ruin the experience. They simply trim unnecessary vulnerability and springiness families much control.

Step 1: Stop TikTok from accessing your contacts

Limiting interaction entree prevents TikTok from mapping your idiosyncratic network.

How to crook disconnected Contacts and Facebook syncing

• Open the TikTok app
• Tap your profile successful the bottommost right
• Tap the three-line menu successful the apical right
• Select Settings and Privacy
• Click Privacy
• Tap Sync Contacts and Facebook Friends
• Toggle some options off truthful they look gray

Why this matters

When interaction syncing is on, TikTok tin larn who you know, adjacent if those radical ne'er usage the app. Turning it disconnected limits however the level connects your relationship to real-world relationships, reduces relationship suggestions tied to your telephone publication and helps support your idiosyncratic web from becoming portion of TikTok's information profile.

Step 2: Reduce advertisement targeting

You volition inactive spot ads. They volition trust little connected enactment extracurricular TikTok.

How to disable off-TikTok advertisement tracking

• Open the TikTok app
• Go to your profile successful the bottommost close of the screen
• Click the three-line menu in the precocious right
• Tap Settings and Privacy
• Scroll to Ads and pat it
• Under Manage your off-TikTok data, toggle Targeted ads extracurricular of TikTok disconnected truthful it turns gray
• If available, besides toggle Targeted ads disconnected to further bounds personalization

Why this matters

Turning these disconnected reduces however TikTok uses information collected beyond the app to personalize advertising. You volition inactive spot ads, but they volition beryllium little intimately tied to your browsing and app enactment elsewhere.

Step 3: Make your relationship private

This measurement is particularly important for kids and teens. A backstage relationship limits who tin presumption content, remark and interact.

How to marque your relationship private

• Open the TikTok app
• Go to your profile  in the bottommost close of the screen
• Click the three-line menu successful the precocious right
• Tap Settings and Privacy
• Click Privacy
• Toggle Private Account connected truthful it turns blue
• Toggle Activity Status disconnected truthful it turns gray

Why this matters

A backstage relationship puts you successful power of who tin presumption your contented and interact with you. This is particularly important for kids and teens, since it reduces vulnerability to strangers, spam accounts and unwanted messages.

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Families weighing TikTok present look a caller question: however to usage the level safely, adjacent nether American oversight. (Kayla Bartkowski/ Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Step 4: Control however radical tin find you

TikTok suggests accounts based connected contacts, telephone numbers and shared connections unless you halt it.

How to crook disconnected relationship suggestions

• Open the TikTok app
• Go to your profile successful the bottommost close of the screen
• Tap the three-line menu successful the precocious right
• Tap Settings and Privacy
• Click Privacy
• Tap Suggest Your Account to Others
• Turn off each options

Why this matters

Account suggestions are often driven by telephone numbers, contacts and shared connections. Turning these disconnected makes it harder for TikTok to nexus your relationship to your offline individuality oregon aboveground it to radical you did not take to link with.

Step 5: Hide what you similar and follow

Likes and follows nonstop signals astir your interests and habits. Keeping them backstage adds different furniture of protection.

How to fell your activity

• Open the TikTok app
• Go to your profile successful the bottommost close of the screen
• Tap the three-line menu successful the precocious right
• Tap Settings and Privacy
• Click Privacy
• Tap Following List nether Interactions
• Set it to Only you

Why this matters

Likes and follows uncover interests, habits and patterns implicit time. Keeping them backstage limits however overmuch others tin infer astir you and reduces the information signals TikTok tin amplify crossed the platform.

Step 6: Download your TikTok data

This measurement often changes however radical presumption the platform.

How to petition your TikTok data

• Open the TikTok app
• Go to your profile successful the bottommost close of the screen
• Tap the three-line menu successful the precocious right
• Tap Settings and Privacy
• Tap Account
• Tap Download Your Data
• Under Request data, reappraisal the types of accusation included and click the box adjacent to it or select all 
• Choose a file format
• Tap Request data

TikTok volition statesman preparing your file. This process typically takes a fewer days. Once your information is ready, you indispensable instrumentality to the Download information tab to retrieve it. The download nexus expires aft a abbreviated window, truthful cheque backmost regularly.

Why this matters

Requesting your information shows the afloat scope of what TikTok stores astir your account, from enactment patterns to enactment history. Seeing that accusation firsthand helps you determine whether the level of tracking aligns with however you privation to usage the platform.

Pro tip: Protect yourself beyond app settings

Privacy settings help, but they cannot halt everything. Social media platforms similar TikTok are communal transportation points for malicious links, fake giveaways and look-alike login pages designed to bargain passwords oregon instal malware. Using strong, up-to-date antivirus bundle adds a captious furniture of extortion by blocking unsafe sites and downloads earlier a azygous click turns into a problem. This extortion tin besides alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your idiosyncratic accusation and integer assets safe.

Get my picks for the champion 2026 antivirus extortion winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

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(Photo Illustration by Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Kurt's cardinal takeaways

TikTok says caller safeguards support wherever U.S. information lives and who controls it. Your idiosyncratic settings inactive find however overmuch information exists successful the archetypal place. Ownership changes trim definite risks, but they bash not regenerate idiosyncratic responsibility. Privacy connected TikTok depends acold much connected however you configure it than who owns it. If you are considering opening an relationship present that power sits with U.S. investors, commencement slow, fastener down the settings and reappraisal your information early. That attack keeps you successful power alternatively than the algorithm.

If a level knows this overmuch astir you, however overmuch entree are you genuinely comfy giving it? Let america cognize by penning to america at Cyberguy.com.

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