Here is the rewritten article, structured in clean HTML, optimized for SEO, and written in a pedagogical, journalistic style.

TikTok US Corporation to Gather Exact Person Location Knowledge

Introduction

The landscape of data privacy for American social media users is undergoing a significant shift. Following the finalization of a landmark deal between TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, and a consortium of American investors, the short-form video platform is updating its privacy policy. The most notable change is the transition from collecting approximate user location data to gathering exact location knowledge. This update affects TikTok’s 200 million American users and marks a new operational phase for the app under the newly formed U.S. joint corporation.

As digital privacy becomes a central concern for consumers and regulators alike, understanding the mechanics of this change is crucial. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of why TikTok is collecting precise location data, the role of the new U.S. joint corporation, and what this means for user privacy and legal compliance.

Key Points

Background

The evolution of TikTok’s data practices cannot be separated from the geopolitical tensions between the United States and China. The app, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, has faced scrutiny since the Trump administration regarding the potential for foreign access to American user data. In 2024, Congress passed legislation mandating a ban unless ByteDance divested its U.S. operations.

This week, that mandate culminated in the closure of a deal creating a new U.S. joint corporation. This entity, known as TikTok U.S. Data Security (USDS) Joint Venture LLC, now oversees the app’s operations in the United States. The deal was brokered with significant involvement from Oracle, a cloud computing giant chaired by Larry Ellison, alongside investment firms Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi’s MGX. ByteDance retains a minority stake of just under 20%, a point of contention for some U.S. lawmakers who remain skeptical about potential lingering influence.

Analysis

The Mechanics of Exact Location Gathering

Previously, TikTok’s privacy policy for U.S. users limited data collection to “approximate” location information. This was typically derived from a user’s IP address or SIM card data, offering a general geographic area (such as a city or region).

The new policy introduces the capability to gather “exact location knowledge.” In technical terms, this usually refers to GPS coordinates provided by smartphones. This allows the platform to pinpoint a user’s location within a few meters. According to the updated terms, this data is gathered “relying on your settings,” indicating that the app will request permission to access the device’s precise GPS hardware.

Why the Change? Functional and Commercial Implications

TikTok has indicated that this shift is driven by functionality. The platform has already rolled out a “Nearby Feed” feature in the United Kingdom and Europe, which allows users to discover local events, businesses, and content based on their immediate proximity. To replicate this feature in the U.S., the app requires precise coordinates rather than broad regional data.

From a commercial standpoint, exact location data is highly valuable for targeted advertising. It allows advertisers to serve hyper-localized ads—such as promoting a specific coffee shop to a user standing nearby—increasing the likelihood of conversion. However, this granularity also raises privacy concerns regarding the tracking of movements and habits.

AI Integration and Data Expansion

Beyond location tracking, the new U.S. corporation is broadening its scope regarding Artificial Intelligence. The updated permissions allow for the collection of data related to user interactions with TikTok’s AI tools. This includes:

• Text prompts and questions submitted to AI chatbots.
• Metadata regarding how, when, and where AI-generated content is created.

Oracle, a key player in this joint venture, is tasked with overseeing the retraining of TikTok’s recommendation algorithm. The company has committed to housing this algorithm and the associated user data within Oracle’s U.S. cloud infrastructure, a measure designed to alleviate national security concerns regarding data sovereignty.

Legal and Political Context

The timing of this policy update is critical. It follows the enforcement of a 2024 law that required ByteDance to sell its U.S. operations or face a ban. Former President Donald Trump, who initially attempted to ban the app during his first term, played a role in brokering the final deal, postponing the ban’s enforcement to allow the joint venture to materialize.

Despite the deal’s closure, skepticism remains. Representative John Moolenaar, chair of the House Select Committee on China, has publicly questioned whether the agreement truly severs ByteDance’s influence over the algorithm and whether American data is fully secure. The retention of a ~20% stake by ByteDance keeps these legal implications relevant.

Practical Advice

How to Manage Your Location Settings

For users concerned about privacy, the collection of exact location data is generally optional. TikTok has stated that precise location sharing will be turned off by default. Users will likely encounter a system-level prompt asking for permission to share precise GPS data.

To ensure privacy:

1. Check App Permissions: Go to your smartphone’s settings, locate TikTok, and review the “Location” permission. Ensure it is set to “While Using the App” or “Never” rather than “Always,” and consider disabling “Precise Location” if your device OS (iOS or Android) allows that granularity.
2. Review In-App Prompts: When TikTok requests location access for features like the Nearby Feed, select “Not Now” or “Deny” if you do not wish to share exact coordinates.
3. Monitor Policy Updates: As the U.S. joint corporation evolves, privacy terms may change. Periodically reviewing the “Settings and Privacy” > “Privacy” section within the app is recommended.

Understanding Data Usage

It is important to recognize that “approximate” data (IP address) is still collected even if you disable precise GPS. This is standard for almost all internet services to ensure regional compliance and basic functionality. The distinction in the new policy is the addition of the GPS layer.

FAQ

Conclusion

The transition to a U.S.-based joint corporation marks a pivotal moment for TikTok and its American users. While the operational shift aims to address national security concerns, the expansion of data collection to include exact location knowledge and detailed AI interaction data presents new privacy dynamics. For users, the power to control this data largely remains in their hands—provided they actively manage their app permissions and understand the implications of the updated privacy policy.