What US TikTok Knows About You? Updated Terms Highlight Collection of Immigration Status, Citizenship, and Location

TikTok users across the United States have been confronted with a stark reality about just how much personal information the popular video-sharing platform can collect. A mandatory pop-up appearing on screens since 22 January 2026 has forced millions to acknowledge updated terms of service, and what many found buried in the fine print has triggered a wave of alarm across social media platforms.

The timing coincides with the official establishment of TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, the newly formed majority American-owned entity now operating the platform for US users. The updated terms make clear that Americans are now contracting with this new corporate structure, which was created in compliance with Donald Trump's September 2025 executive order. But whilst the corporate restructuring dominated headlines, users who paused to read the accompanying privacy policy discovered language that many found deeply unsettling.

What Data Can TikTok Collect?

According to TikTok's privacy policy, the platform may process what it classifies as 'sensitive personal information' under applicable state privacy laws. This includes 'information you disclose in survey responses or in your User Content about your racial or ethnic origin, national origin, religious beliefs, mental or physical health diagnosis, sexual life or sexual orientation, status as transgender or nonbinary, citizenship or immigration status, or financial information.'

The breadth of this data collection has stunned many users who had not previously examined the platform's policies closely. One Reddit user questioned, 'Have they always tracked citizenship??? Am I tweaking?' The post sparked extensive discussion, with users expressing particular concern about the collection of immigration status data amid heightened political tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in the United States.

The pop-up that appeared on users' screens specifically mentioned 'new types of location information (including device geolocation) we may collect from you, with your permission', alongside references to an 'updated corporate entity' and the use of data to display advertisements outside TikTok. Users noted with frustration that the prompt offered only a single 'Agree' button, with no apparent option to decline whilst continuing to use the service.

Not Entirely New, But Newly Visible

Investigation into archived versions of TikTok's privacy policy reveals that much of the concerning language is not actually new. The section mentioning 'status as transgender or nonbinary, citizenship or immigration status' has been present in the privacy policy since approximately August 2024. A Reddit user who examined Wayback Machine archives confirmed that the specific language regarding sensitive data categories predates the current update.

This revelation has done little to calm user concerns. As one commenter noted: 'The fact that they've been doing this while no one noticed is the real wake-up call.' The forced acknowledgement pop-up has effectively shone a spotlight on practices that had previously gone largely unnoticed by the platform's massive user base.

The backlash has manifested in concrete action for some users. Multiple people reported deleting the application rather than accept the new terms. Others have criticised the rollout as 'shady' because the prompt lacks a 'read more' option or direct link to the full policy before requiring a decision.

The New Corporate Structure

The terms update arrives alongside sweeping changes to TikTok's ownership and governance structure in the United States. According to TikTok's official announcement, the new joint venture 'has been established in compliance with the Executive Order signed by President Trump on 25 September 2025, now enabling more than 200 million Americans and 7.5 million businesses to continue to discover, create, and thrive as part of TikTok's vibrant global community'.

The venture is 80.1 per cent owned by US and global investors, with ByteDance retaining a 19.9 per cent stake. Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi-based MGX each hold 15 per cent as managing investors, with additional backing from the Dell Family Office and affiliates of Susquehanna International Group, amongst others.

TikTok has emphasised that the joint venture's 'mandate is to secure U.S. user data, apps and the algorithm through comprehensive data privacy and cybersecurity measures.' The company states that US user data 'will be protected by USDS Joint Venture in Oracle's secure U.S. cloud environment,' with the programme adhering to 'major industry standards, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) CSF and 800-53 and ISO 27001.'

Privacy Paradox Emerges

For privacy advocates and concerned users, the situation presents a troubling paradox. The new US-controlled structure was ostensibly created to address national security concerns about data flowing to China. Yet the privacy policy's explicit acknowledgement that the platform may collect highly sensitive information about citizenship, immigration status, health conditions, and LGBTQ+ identity has raised fresh questions about how such data might be used domestically.

The platform's silence on whether it shares or would share user data with agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security or Immigration and Customs Enforcement has only heightened these concerns. Previous reporting has noted that TikTok altered its policies in 2025 to remove a promise to notify users before turning over their data to government entities.

For now, Americans face a binary choice when opening the app: agree to the terms or stop using the platform entirely. With over 200 million US users and 7.5 million businesses active on TikTok, many will likely click 'Agree' without fully grasping what they are consenting to. The forced pop-up, however uncomfortable, may have achieved one thing: ensuring that far more users than before are now aware of just how much TikTok knows about them.