Is TikTok's Terms of Service safe?

Top concerning points

1. 1.

   Private messages can be read

   blocker

   High

   The Service is able to access, scan, review or read all user communications, including private messages, which may contain personal or sensitive data.

   Source quote / document
2. 2.

   You waive your moral rights

   blocker

   High

   Moral rights are rights to creators of literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works, as well as directors of films. "The moral rights include the right of attribution, the right to have a work published anonymously or pseudonymously, and the right to the integrity of the work. The preserving of the integrity of the work allows the author to object to alteration, distortion, or mutilation of the work that is "prejudicial to the author's honor or reputation". Anything else that may detract from the artist's relationship with the work even after it leaves the artist's possession or ownership may bring these moral rights into play. Moral rights are distinct from any economic rights tied to copyrights. Even if an artist has assigned his or her copyright rights to a work to a third party, he or she still maintains the moral rights to the work." -Wikipedia In general, any terms that use the exact words "moral rights" as rights that are waived will fall under this Case.

3. 3.

   Specific content can be deleted without reason and may be removed without prior notice

   blocker

   High

   This service can delete specific content. Usually they will claim they reserve the right to do it at their sole discretion, which is legalese for saying they won't give a specific reason. If the terms say they will not notify you, it shall be included in the quote but if it does not explicitly say they will give you a notice, it can be reasonably inferred that they can do it without telling you.

4. 4.

   Content you post may be edited by the service for any reason

   blocker

   High

   This service can edit any content on the service for whatever the reason and at their sole discretion.

5. 5.

   This service forces users into binding arbitration in the case of disputes

   bad

   High

   This service forces users to use their own contracted arbitrator and forces users to waive their rights to jury trial.

   Source quote / document
6. 6.

   The service uses your personal data for advertising

   bad

   High

   Your interaction with the service and data you have shared with them may be gathered to create an advertising ID or profile to target ads on you, either on the website you were visiting or in third party websites.

   Source quote / document
7. 7.

   Your personal data may be sold or otherwise transferred as part of a bankruptcy proceeding or other type of financial transaction

   bad

   High

   If the service gets acquired or is involved in a merger, bankruptcy, reorganisation or sale, your personal data may be transferred or sold.

   Source quote / document
8. 8.

   Third-party cookies are used for statistics

   bad

   High

   For instance, Google Analytics, rather than self-hosted (first-party) statistics software.

   Source quote / document

Frequently asked questions

What is TikTok's ToS;DR privacy grade?

ToS;DR rates TikTok as Grade E. Grades range from A (best) to E (worst). See the full breakdown on ToS;DR.

Is TikTok's Terms of Service safe?

ToS;DR's Grade E means the terms raise serious concerns. Read the blocker and bad points carefully before accepting.

What is a top concern in TikTok's terms?

Private messages can be read — The Service is able to access, scan, review or read all user communications, including private messages, which may contain personal or sensitive data. (Source: ToS;DR approved point).

Where can I read TikTok's official terms?

ToS;DR tracks "Terms of Service - Germany" at https://www.tiktok.com/de/terms-of-use. Always prefer the official document over summaries.