Are you wondering whether or not your followers can see what you’ve searched for on TikTok?
We generally expect our searches to be private, and it can feel invasive if someone else were able to see them.
So, is there any way for your followers to find out what you’ve searched for?
In this article, I’ll cover everything that you need to know!
Can People See Your TikTok Searches?
Currently, there is no way for followers to see what you’ve searched for on TikTok.
This information is kept private, and no other TikTok users are able to see what others have searched for. This is true whether they’re following you or not.
However, you may see trending or popular searches on the TikTok search page, along with related searches beneath certain TikTok videos.
These are searches that lots of other TikTok users have searched for, and there is no way for anyone to tell whether or not you tap on them as well.
So, don’t worry – your searches are completely hidden from others!
TikTok Keeps A Record, However
Keep in mind that although other users can’t see what you search for on TikTok, TikTok themselves can.
This is because your searches are stored by TikTok, and are used to help determine your interests. This helps TikTok curate your ‘Following’ and ‘For You’ pages more effectively, meaning that you’ll be shown more videos about things that you’re actually interested in.
Therefore, your search history is valuable data to TikTok.
Because TikTok staff can see what you’ve searched for within their app, it’s recommended that you avoid searching anything you wouldn’t want them reading.
That being said, you are just one out of over a billion TikTok users, so it’s unlikely that they care much about any individual’s search history (unless you’re doing something that breaks their rules.)
Are Searches Part Of Your TikTok Data Package?
Did you know that you can request a copy of all of your data from TikTok?
This data package includes a lot of information, such as a complete history of your comments, the videos you’ve watched, the times you’ve logged in, and more.
But is your search history part of this data package?
I tested this my requesting a copy of my own TikTok data, and I’m happy to confirm that your search history isn’t included.
This means that there’s no way for you to view everything you’ve searched for entirely. Although the search page will show your recent searches, it can only show so many at once – so, old searches are hidden away, and cannot be retrieved.
While requesting a copy of your TikTok data can certainly provide you some interesting files to look at, you won’t find your search history among them.
Conclusion
At the moment, your followers aren’t able to see the searches you’ve made within the app. It is unlikely for this to change in the future, as allowing this would be a huge breach of your privacy.
However, TikTok does seem to store your searches, so it is possible that they can be seen by a TikTok staff member. Keep this in mind when searching for anything you wouldn’t want tied to you.
I hope that you’ve found this article helpful, and that it’s answered all of your questions.
If you have any other questions about TikTok, ask them below and I’ll be happy to help.
Wishing you the best,
– James McAllister
It’s always a breath of fresh air to see how you break down complex topics into easy-to-understand pieces. I’ve been wondering about privacy on TikTok for a while now, so this was super helpful! 👏
It’s a bit unsettling to think that TikTok keeps a record of our searches, but it’s good to know our followers can’t see them. Thanks for doing the legwork and testing out the data package request for us! You always go the extra mile, and that’s why I love your posts. 🏃♂️💼🔎
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