Tik Tok collects bio data including facial and voice fingerprint

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TikTok has announced that it may collect new types of biometric information, including facial and voice fingerprints. TikTok did not explain what types of data these terms refer to, or why the app might need to access this information in the first place. The company's privacy policy was updated on 2 June. The new policy lays out in some detail the ways in which TikTok now has permission to analyze users' content.

The policy states: We may collect information about images and sound that are part of User Content, such as which objects and scenes appear, presence and location within an image of facial and body features and features, the nature of sound, and the text of spoken words in User Content. We may collect this information to enable video effects, moderate content, demographic classification, content and ad suggestions, and for other anonymous operations.

There is a lot of confusion between results that might be acceptable to users, such as adding video effects, and results that they might think are more invasive, such as ad targeting and demographics.

There is also a lot of general languages used to cover any future updates that TikTok might add to its platform.

Tik Tok collects vital data

The new privacy policy is clearer about the app's collection of biometric data, including face and voice fingerprints. The policy states that TikTok seeks consent from users before collecting this information. But only when required by law. This does not mean much in the United States. That's given that only a few states offer these types of legal protections. TikTok may think that agreeing to its terms of service constitutes all the consent you need.

The changes to TikTok's privacy policy are likely in response to the recent class-action lawsuit against the company. The company agreed in February to pay $92 million to claimants who allege a variety of privacy violations.

As part of the settlement, TikTok agreed to avoid several behaviors that could put a user's privacy at risk unless they specifically disclosed such behaviors in its privacy policy.

A company spokesperson said, as part of our ongoing commitment to transparency, we recently updated our Privacy Policy to provide more clarity about the information we may collect.