TikTok is tracking you, even if you don't use the app. Here's 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.
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260210-tiktok-is-tracking-you-even-if-you-dont-use-the-app-heres-how-to-stop-itOpen linkView original on piefed.social
18 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.
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.
Safari can block tracking pixels and other trackers natively.
I have been using Privacy Badger for a while. Glad to see it mentioned here.
Privacy Badger is redundant. You only need uBO
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
Easy, delete it.
See the title again
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.
They still track you even if you don't interact with their website/"service" either.
The tracking pixels are mentioned... In the article. And [email protected] summarized it in the comments already too.
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!
I’ve never looked at a TikTok nor used their app
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
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.
Meta does the same thing, probably a lot of shitty actors do.
Yeah, we should assume that all big tech companies are taking us everywhere and all the time.
From the article:
From the article:
I'm still not getting a TikTok account