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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Technology
Dan Milmo

TikTok’s ties to China: why concerns over your data are here to stay

A photo illustration shows two surveillance cameras aimed at a person's smartphone, which is displaying the TikTok logo.
Regulators and politicians around the world have expressed their distrust of TikTok and who can access the data it collects. Composite: The Guardian/Getty Images

In 2021 Android phone users around the world spent 16.2tn minutes on TikTok. And while those millions and millions of users no doubt had an enjoyable time watching clips on the addictive social video app, they also generated a colossal amount of data.

TikTok collects information on how you consume its content, from the device you are using to how long you watch a post for and what categories you like, and uses that information to fine tune the algorithm for the app’s main feed.

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