Topics: Artificial Intelligence, China, Social Media, Technology, TikTok, US News, Donald Trump
People are deleting their TikTok accounts days after a new US board was set in motion to save it.
Last week, the popular social media app hard launched its USDS joint venture, created to 'secure US user data, apps and the algorithm through comprehensive data privacy and cybersecurity measures.'
Shortly after, TikTok US updated its terms and conditions of service, which users have been keeping a sharp eye on.
People quickly began freaking out over the types of data TikTok collects, including 'your racial or ethnic origin' and 'sexual life or sexual orientation, status as transgender or nonbinary, citizenship or immigration status, or financial information.' Others pointed out that uploading to TikTok gives the app permission to reuse your content for advertising, AI training, and product development.
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TikTok also has power to permanently ban accounts.
As CNBC reports, daily TikTok deletions among US users have surged nearly 150 percent in the past five days alone, compared with the previous three months, going off data from Sensor Tower.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one social media user exclaimed: "Chat, it might really be over TikTok. The new Terms Of Service is actually insane. Beyond invasive and predatory."
The person added: "They own all of your content and likeness and can use it for ads, can permanently delete your account without explanation — it’s pretty bad."
Others claimed to have deleted their accounts in light of the new US board coming into effect, as another added: "As soon as they let me delete my account I’m out."
"Deleted it, the new terms and services is next level. Gonna start deleting other platforms too I think but I just couldn't agree to it," another said.
Others slammed the terms and conditions as hypocritical, considering the US was so concerned about China keeping tabs on our data.
"Remember how they tried to pretend it was China that was bad?" another Twitter user said.
Others have defended the conditions, though, pointing out that most social media sites have similar terms. And, as CNBC also reported, an archived version of the policy from August 2024, when TikTok was under ByteDance, includes the same details.
Either way, with worry sparked over people's personal data and incoming algorithm changes, could this mark the beginning of the end for TikTok in the US?
This all comes a little more than a year after TikTok went dark following threats from Donald Trump to ban the app over national security concerns regarding the app's Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
It was feared Beijing could use the app to collect data on US users, or influence public opinion on the country - accusations China denied.
That didn't stop President Trump from passing a law demanding ByteDance sell the company, though.
All parties came to a compromise with the new US joint venture, which is operated by Trump allies including Oracle, owned by tech billionaire Larry Ellison, American investment firm Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi-based AI investment company, MGX, who together own the majority.
Under the new structure, ByteDance retains a minority 19.9 stake, but it's the US and UAE companies which run the day-to-day operations now.
As part of the takeover, Americans might notice a change to their For You Pages as the algorithm is retrained, tested, and updated.
This is all to 'safeguard the US content ecosystem, holding decision-making authority for trust and safety policies and moderation,' the US venture said.
UNILAD has contacted TikTok USDS Joint Venture for comment.
