TikTok has developed extensive privacy protection policies to ensure that people feel safe when using the social media platform. Some policies prohibit bullying and offensive behavior on the app, while others protect personal details from being seen by friends, followers, or random people poking around your TikTok presence.
However, some of TikTok users’ account details always remain visible, whether they have or haven’t opted in to all of the features that prohibit their in-app behavior and information from being displayed.
For example, your TikTok username, profile photo, and nickname (the one you choose to have shown publicly) can always be seen via a search on the app, even if you’ve chosen to make your TikTok account private. And some other activities taken by private account owners are also visible to the TikTok followers they’ve approved as fans.
Users with public accounts are more “vulnerable” to looky-loos. Their TikTok bios, videos, comments, and some other details are available for any user to see unless they’ve specifically been blocked.
What about the topics you search for on TikTok? Who can see those?
Can People See What You Search on TikTok?
In a word, no. No one can see your searches.
Whether your account is public or private, your search history isn’t visible to anyone but you.
The TikTok algorithms do use that information to curate your experience on the app, letting them show TikTok videos on your feed that closely match your interests and behavior. However, no one else is allowed to check which subjects you’ve searched for on the platform. In that way, at least, your privacy is protected.
How do you check your own search history?
- Open your TikTok profile by clicking the “Profile” icon at the bottom right of the home screen.
- Tap the “Menu” icon (three horizontal lines) at the top right of your profile page.
- Choose “Settings and privacy” from the popup menu that appears.
- Find and click the “Activity center” link.
- Scroll down and tap on “Search history.”
If you want to clear your search history, either because you’re still suspicious that someone (perhaps a family member who shares the phone) will be able to see it, or your interests have changed and the searches are no longer applicable to your viewing habits, there’s just one more step to take.
- Tap the “Select” link at the top right of the screen, click the buttons next to each of the searches you want to remove, and then tap the “Delete” button at the bottom. To clear the entire history instead, click the “Select all search history” button and then tap “Delete.”
That last action won’t provide any extra protection across the app, but it can ensure that no one who gets their hands on your phone can see what you’ve searched.
Just remember that the app uses your search history to help decide which videos you’re shown on your feed. Clearing the history may prevent you from seeing some TikTok posts that you might enjoy, or alternatively, it can stop the algorithms from showing you content that no longer interests you.
Choose wisely.
About the Author
Peter Hasselworth is a contributor at iDigic, sharing valuable insights about Instagram growth and social media marketing strategies.