TikTok is tracking you, even if you don't use the app. Here's how to stop it

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260210-tiktok-is-tracking-you-even-if-you-dont-use-the-app-heres-how-to-stop-it

TikTok is growing its data harvesting empire, and avoiding the app won’t protect you – but some easy steps can keep you safe.

122 points · 18 comments · view on lemmy.world

18 Comments

Substance_P@lemmy.world · 56 pts · 52d (2 replies)

In a nutshell : TikTok uses tracking pixels, so switch from mainstream browsers (Chrome, Safari) to privacy-focused alternatives.

You can ask TikTok to delete any data it already has about you.

Contact TikTok directly through their privacy/deletion request process.

Tanoh@lemmy.world · 31 pts · 52d

You can ask TikTok to delete any data it already has about you.

The problem is always that this is a "trust us!" situation. If I were an evil company and user Foo requested his data deleted, simply deleting it would be the worst possible choice. Something simple as creating another company that has a deal to buy data from you for cheapsies. They just happen to sell them Foo's data right before you deleted it. Oh well, you did delete it so. Or just don't delete it, just say you do (which is what I suspect most do anyway).

Those requesting data delete, are probably holding the most valuable data, maybe not for your company but for someone else.

It is very very hard to prove you have completely deleted something, maybe you just deleted 4 of the 5 copies.

LordMayor@piefed.social · 7 pts · 52d

Safari can block tracking pixels and other trackers natively.

AcornTickler@sh.itjust.works · 21 pts · 52d (2 replies)

If switching browsers is too much, install a browser extension that blocks these trackers. I asked Disconnect and DuckDuckGo to help with this article because they both make tracker blockers, but there are other options, including Privacy Badger and Ghostery. Certain ad blockers also block some data harvesting, including AdBlock Plus and uBlock Origin.

I have been using Privacy Badger for a while. Glad to see it mentioned here.

LightYagami@lemmus.org · 2 pts · 50d (1 reply)

Privacy Badger is redundant. You only need uBO

hikaru755@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 50d

Uh, not really. Privacy Badger allows things like replacing problematic content with a placeholder that allows you to still load it on-demand if you want to see it, which afaik is not something uBlock supports easily

64bithero@lemmy.world · -11 pts · 52d (13 replies)

Easy, delete it.

XLE@piefed.social · 26 pts · 52d (12 replies)

See the title again

P00ptart@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 52d (11 replies)

[ removed ]

XLE@piefed.social · 17 pts · 52d (5 replies)

See the article. It collects data of people who don't even have accounts.

Edit: or visit the website. Shadow profiles are a known thing.

P00ptart@lemmy.world · -10 pts · 52d (2 replies)

[ removed ]

XLE@piefed.social · 14 pts · 52d

They still track you even if you don't interact with their website/"service" either.

The tracking pixels are mentioned... In the article. And Substance_P@lemmy.world summarized it in the comments already too.

grue@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 52d

They are tracking everyone on the Internet who visits third-party sites that have their tracking pixels even if they have never directly interacted with TikTok itself in any way whatsoever. Even if you have never installed their app and never clicked a link to a TikTok video, they are still trying to track you anyway.

This has been explained to you several times already. You're the one who needs to do some reading -- and more importantly, comprehending!

64bithero@lemmy.world · -12 pts · 52d (1 reply)

I’ve never looked at a TikTok nor used their app

XLE@piefed.social · 14 pts · 52d

When tracking pixels are involved, you don't have to visit their website or even see a TikTok video - even though you aren't watching them, they're watching you!

The solution is to use a powerful ad blocker, and is far less easy to the average person

flameleaf@lemmy.world · 16 pts · 52d (4 replies)

The article mentions them putting tracking pixels on other websites. Bold of them to try tracking me when I don't even have a TikTok account.

BurgerBaron@quokk.au · 18 pts · 52d (1 reply)

Meta does the same thing, probably a lot of shitty actors do.

Kjell@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 49d

Yeah, we should assume that all big tech companies are taking us everywhere and all the time.

From the article:

According to DuckDuckGo, a privacy company, TikTok has trackers on 5% of the world's top websites. That number has grown steadily, though it's nothing compared to Google with trackers on almost 72% of top websites and Meta at about 21%.

a14o@feddit.org · 14 pts · 52d (1 reply)

From the article:

But most people might not realise that TikTok holds data about them even if they have never used the social media platform.

Websites that use pixels send data about every single visitor, so it doesn't matter if you don't have a TikTok account.

flameleaf@lemmy.world · -2 pts · 52d

I'm still not getting a TikTok account