Ashlee Difuntorum was recently featured in TechCrunch, examining TikTok’s newly updated privacy policy permitting the collection of sensitive user information, such as sexual orientation and identity, citizenship, and immigration status.
The announcement, which was shared with users via an in-app pop-up message, has quickly sparked concern given the current political climate, which Ashlee notes stems from the fact that many TikTok users share deeply personal topics on the app and across social media. While this language can seem jarring, this disclosure was actually present in previous versions of the policy prior to the ownership deal closing, and is meant to comply with state privacy laws that require apps to disclose which consumer information is collected.
In the article, Ashlee explains, “TikTok is essentially saying that if you disclose something sensitive, that information becomes part of the content the platform technically ‘collects.” She continues to tell TechCrunch, “Policies like this often look alarming because they’re written for regulators and litigators, not for ordinary consumers. That said, the wording can understandably strike users as intrusive when it’s laid out so bluntly.”
