Cookie Policy
Last updated: 4 November 2024
- The policy states it was last updated on 4 November 2024 Legal Rights & Agreement Rules
This Cookies Policy explains how TikTok and our partners use cookies and similar technologies. It applies to TikTok’s apps, websites, software and related services (together, the “Platform”). It also covers your choices to control them. Unless otherwise stated in this Cookies Policy, our Privacy Policy applies to the data we collect through cookies and similar technologies.
- The policy covers TikTok's apps, websites, software and related services Legal Rights & Agreement Rules
- The Privacy Policy governs data collected through cookies unless this policy says otherwise Legal Rights & Agreement Rules
How do cookies work?
Cookies are small text files that let websites and apps identify your browser or device. Cookies and similar technologies let websites and apps store or access info on your device. They turn on certain features and distinguish you from other visitors. Most website and app providers use these technologies for various purposes. These purposes include: efficient page navigation, web security and usage tracking. These technologies also remember user preferences and customise the user experience, especially in relation to ads.
- Cookies identify a browser or device and let sites store or access information on it Data Access & Collection
Like many websites and apps, TikTok uses cookies and similar technologies, such as software development kits (“SDKs”), pixels, APIs, mobile ad IDs, tags and local storage. We call them all “cookies” in this Cookies Policy.
- The policy uses "cookies" to include SDKs, pixels, APIs, mobile ad IDs, tags and local storage Data Access & Collection
Most of the cookies on our Platform are set on browsers or devices and used directly by us. These are referred to as “first-party” cookies.
- Most Platform cookies are TikTok's own first-party cookies Data Access & Collection
Other businesses (“Partners”) also set and use cookies on the Platform. They help us keep it safe and secure and promote our services on other apps and websites. These cookies also enable us, our advertisers and measurement partners to measure ad campaign effectiveness and show you personalised ads. In this Cookies Policy, we refer to cookies set by Partners on the Platform as “third-party cookies”. You can find more information about the Partners that use cookies on the Platform and links to their own privacy policies here.
- Partners use cookies on the Platform for the listed purposes and to provide extra features such as third-party log in Sharing & Disclosure
- For Partners' data transfers, the policy points to the Partners' own privacy and cookie policies Sharing & Disclosure
- Partners set third-party cookies on the Platform, including for ad measurement and personalised ads Sharing & Disclosure
- A separate Partners page lists who uses cookies on the Platform and their privacy policies Sharing & Disclosure
Cookies can remain on your computer or mobile device for different periods of time. Some cookies are “session cookies”. They exist only while your browser is open and are deleted automatically or shortly after you close your browser.
- Session cookies last only while the browser is open Retention & Deletion
Other cookies are “persistent cookies”. They stay after you close your browser or app. Persistent cookies expire automatically after a set time, like a few days or weeks. When you return to the Platform, a third-party site or other sites that use the same cookies, persistent cookies on your device can be recognised.
- Persistent cookies stay after you close the browser or app and can be recognised on return Retention & Deletion
What are cookies used for
Cookies enable us to provide and secure, as well as analyse and customise, the Platform. This includes providing a safer, personalised experience to users of the Platform. For example, we will verify logged-in users to give them an appropriate experience.
Cookies let us, our advertisers and measurement partners measure ad campaign effectiveness. They also allow us to show you ads based on your browsing and profile.
- Cookies let TikTok, advertisers and measurement partners measure ads and show ads based on browsing and profile Inference & Profiling
We have provided more information below about the purpose of cookies.
- The policy groups cookie uses into four purposes Use & Processing
Essential and optional cookies
Some cookies are essential to provide you with the Platform and features you have requested. You cannot decline or turn them off afterwards.
- Essential cookies cannot be declined or turned off Data Access & Collection
Other optional, non-essential cookies will be used based on your usage and the sites you visit. We outline a summary of the types of cookies we use below.
- Optional, non-essential cookies are used based on usage and the sites visited Data Access & Collection
Types of cookies
The Platform uses cookies for the following purposes:
- The policy groups cookie uses into four purposes Use & Processing
Functionality and customisation
- The policy groups cookie uses into four purposes Use & Processing
Some cookies help the Platform work better. They also let us customise the Platform to your preferences. For example, we can display it in your preferred language. We also use cookies to verify your account when logged in. This helps us provide you with an appropriate experience on the Platform and its features.
Below, we provide examples of the cookies we use for functionality and customisation.
- Functionality examples: sid_tt keeps login status 2 months; default_lang and locale last 1 year Retention & Deletion
- Some cookies allow for the proper functioning of the Platform and our services. These cookies remember your login details and status while you browse the Platform, for example, “sid_tt” cookies (retained for 2 months).
- Some cookies record your preferred language, like “default_lang” cookies (retained for 1 year). Other cookies, like “locale” cookies (retained for 1 year), record the country from which you visit the Platform.
- Other cookies record your consent to remember your choice of optional cookies.
- Other cookies record the user's consent choice about optional cookies Account & Service Control
Safety and security
- The policy groups cookie uses into four purposes Use & Processing
We use some cookies to keep you and the Platform safe and secure.
- Safety and security cookies help prevent fraud, detect bots and suspicious activity, and route traffic Security & Safeguards
For example, these types of cookies enable us to:
- Safety and security cookies help prevent fraud, detect bots and suspicious activity, and route traffic Security & Safeguards
- Prevent fraudulent attacks to our Platform.
- Detect non-human traffic (bots).
- Detect suspicious activity.
- Check if an account was suspended for violating our Community Guidelines. This will let us take appropriate action.
- Cookies are used to check whether an account was suspended for violating the Community Guidelines Account & Service Control
- Schedule traffic and distribute it properly across networks.
The cookies used for these purposes include “ttwid” cookies (retained for 1 year) and “security_verification_ticket” cookies (retained for 1 month).
- Security examples: ttwid cookies kept 1 year; security_verification_ticket cookies kept 1 month Retention & Deletion
Analytics and research
- The policy groups cookie uses into four purposes Use & Processing
Some cookies help us understand your use of the Platform and its features. They show which pages you view and how you interact
- Analytics cookies show which pages are viewed and are used to fix errors and test designs Use & Processing
This information lets us measure and quickly fix any errors on the Platform to improve your experience. We also use the information obtained through these cookies to test design ideas. It helps us understand user activity and patterns. This, in turn, improves the Platform and its features.
- Analytics cookies show which pages are viewed and are used to fix errors and test designs Use & Processing
Below are examples of the analytics cookies we use, their purposes and their retention periods.
- Analytics example: ttwid first-party cookie, up to 13 months Retention & Deletion
- The “ttwid” first-party cookie is for analytics and web optimisation. It lasts for a maximum of 13 months.
- Analytics example: ttwid first-party cookie, up to 13 months Retention & Deletion
- We also use GoogleGoogle
Analytics to analyse Platform usage. This includes the number of page views and unique visitors. Google Analytics has a retention period of 24 months. - Google Analytics is used to analyse Platform usage, with a 24-month retention period Retention & Deletion
Advertising and measurement
- The policy groups cookie uses into four purposes Use & Processing
Our Platform uses first-party and third-party cookies for advertising purposes. This includes personalising ads (depending on your settings) based on your browsing habits and profile and your off-app activity.
- Advertising cookies personalise ads using browsing habits, profile and off-app activity, depending on settings Inference & Profiling
We also use cookies to measure our ads’ performance on the Platform.
Examples of the advertising and measurement cookies include cookies:
- Advertising example: ttp first-party cookie shows ads from advertisers the user visited, kept 1 year Linking & Identification
- To show you personalised ads from an advertiser if you have visited their website or app before. For example, we use the “ttp” first-party cookie for these purposes and it has a retention period of 1 year.
- Advertising example: ttp first-party cookie shows ads from advertisers the user visited, kept 1 year Linking & Identification
- To serve ads about TikTok on third-party platforms. This includes remarketing TikTok to people who visited our website and measuring our ad campaigns’ performance. For example, the “fbp” third-party cookie which has a retention period of 3 months.
- To measure the performance of ads on our Platform. This includes tracking user actions in response to ads. For example, this includes visits to an advertiser’s website or purchases. For example, the third-party advertising identifiers “IDFA” and “GAID” are used for ad measurement and personalising ads.
How TikTok Partners use cookies
Some of our Partners, including third-party platforms, advertisers and measuring partners, use cookies on the Platform for the purposes listed above. These let us provide you with additional features on the Platform. For example, you can log in using your third-party accounts (like FacebookFacebook or Google) or share your content on other platforms. Our Cookies Partners List includes a list of our Partners using cookies on the Platform. It also has links to their own privacy and cookie policies.
- Partners use cookies on the Platform for the listed purposes and to provide extra features such as third-party log in Sharing & Disclosure
- For Partners' data transfers, the policy points to the Partners' own privacy and cookie policies Sharing & Disclosure
How can you control cookies?
Some of the cookies that we use are essential to operate the Platform. As a result, you cannot control the use of such cookies.
- Essential cookies cannot be controlled by the user Data Access & Collection
You can accept or refuse optional cookies.
- Users can accept or refuse optional cookies and manage cookie settings at any time Account & Service Control
Blocking or deleting cookies may mean that some of your Platform preferences will be lost. Blocking all cookies may also mean certain functionalities on the Platform will not operate fully or properly.
- Blocking or deleting cookies may lose preferences and stop some functionality Data Access & Collection
You can control how we use data from cookies to show you ads by using the settings described below.
- Users can control how data from cookies is used to show ads through the settings described below Inference & Profiling
Platform Cookie settings
- Users can accept or refuse optional cookies and manage cookie settings at any time Account & Service Control
You can manage your cookie settings any time and accept or refuse optional cookies.
- Users can accept or refuse optional cookies and manage cookie settings at any time Account & Service Control
Your Personalised Ads settings
- Logged-in account holders can manage how their information affects certain ads, but the policy gives no instructions Account & Service Control
If you have a TikTok account and are logged in, you can manage how your information affects certain ads you see on the Platform. You can do so by following the following instructions:
- Logged-in account holders can manage how their information affects certain ads, but the policy gives no instructions Account & Service Control
Your App settings
- Apple devices: use Limit Ad Tracking (before iOS 14) or limit third-party tracking (iOS 14 or newer) Account & Service Control
You can also tailor your device settings to control your mobile advertising identifiers:
- Apple devices: use Limit Ad Tracking (before iOS 14) or limit third-party tracking (iOS 14 or newer) Account & Service Control
- Android devices: turn on Opt out of Ads Personalisation in the device Account & Service Control
- On AppleApple devices: For iOS versions older than iOS 14, you can turn on the “Limit Ad Tracking” setting in your device settings. For iOS 14 or newer, you can limit third-party tracking in your device settings.
- Apple devices: use Limit Ad Tracking (before iOS 14) or limit third-party tracking (iOS 14 or newer) Account & Service Control
- On Android devices, you can turn on the “Opt out of Ads Personalisation” in your device.
- Android devices: turn on Opt out of Ads Personalisation in the device Account & Service Control
Your web browser settings
- Browsers let users view, delete and block cookies and local storage Data Access & Collection
Most browsers will also allow you to choose the level of privacy settings you want. You can control your cookies and local storage settings, like:
- Browsers let users view, delete and block cookies and local storage Data Access & Collection
- See what cookies or other locally stored data you have and delete them on an individual basis;
- Browsers let users view, delete and block cookies and local storage Data Access & Collection
- Block third-party cookies;
- Browsers let users view, delete and block cookies and local storage Data Access & Collection
- Block cookies from particular sites;
- Browsers let users view, delete and block cookies and local storage Data Access & Collection
- Block all cookies from being set; or
- Browsers let users view, delete and block cookies and local storage Data Access & Collection
- Delete all cookies/site data.
- Browsers let users view, delete and block cookies and local storage Data Access & Collection
For more information on how to manage the most popular browsers, see below:
- Browser help is linked for Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, Edge and Firefox Account & Service Control
- Google Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647?hl=en
- Browser help is linked for Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, Edge and Firefox Account & Service Control
- Safari: https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/manage-cookies-and-website-data-sfri11471/mac
- Browser help is linked for Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, Edge and Firefox Account & Service Control
- Internet Explorer: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17442/windows-internet-explorer-delete-manage-cookies
- Browser help is linked for Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, Edge and Firefox Account & Service Control
- Edge: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/4027947/microsoft-edge-delete-cookies
- Browser help is linked for Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, Edge and Firefox Account & Service Control
- Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/cookies-information-websites-store-on-your-computer
- Browser help is linked for Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, Edge and Firefox Account & Service Control
Changes to this policy
We may update this Cookies Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes to this policy through the Platform or other means. The “Last updated” date at the top of this Cookies Policy shows the effective date of such policy changes.
- TikTok may update the policy and will notify users of material changes Legal Rights & Agreement Rules
Contact us
If you have questions about this Cookies Policy, or any privacy issues, contact us through our webform.
- Questions about the policy or privacy issues go through a webform Legal Rights & Agreement Rules
More information
For details on TikTok’s cookie data processing, see our Privacy Policy. It covers international data transfers, safeguards mechanisms implemented and the use of personal data with cookies.
- The Privacy Policy is where cookie data processing, international transfers and safeguards are covered Legal Rights & Agreement Rules
For more info on our Partners’ data transfers, see their privacy and cookies policies. (See point 3: How TikTok Partners use cookies, of this Cookies Policy).