Exploring What Device Geolocation on TikTok Is and Why Users Are Deleting the App

People have been quietly deleting TikTok, and not for the reasons you might expect. It started with users noticing the location tracking was no longer a setting that could be toggled on or off. This discovery prompted some digging and a much bigger question. What is device geolocation on TikTok, and why are users running from it?

On Reddit and Facebook, TikTok users aren’t panicking. They are, however, confused and frustrated. Many acknowledge that by having a smartphone, they are already being tracked. Users, however, don’t like the option of being able to turn off the setting being taken away from them. As a result, some are choosing to delete the app.

In basic terms, device geolocation refers to location data determined by your phone itself, not just a single app. Smartphones already use GPS, Wi-Fi, and network signals to establish location. Apps can tap into that data depending on permissions and system behavior.

That’s why many users weren’t shocked by the concept. What caught them off guard was seeing device geolocation referenced in TikTok’s settings without a clear way to disable it. For many, this made the setting feel extremely invasive.

According to users discussing the update on Reddit, this doesn’t appear to be TikTok suddenly tracking people in a brand-new way. Location data has long been part of how apps personalize content and features. The issue is that users say the ability to fully control or turn off this setting now feels limited or unclear.

For people who routinely manage app permissions, that loss of control matters. Several commenters pointed out they’re comfortable allowing location access when it’s optional, but react differently when a setting feels mandatory.

As the conversation deepened on social media, it became less about TikTok specifically and more about freedom. Users openly acknowledged that smartphones already collect vast amounts of data. They, however, emphasized that having the option to say no still carries weight, even if it doesn’t stop tracking entirely.

The frustration wasn’t rooted in surprise. It came from feeling like a decision had been made for them, quietly and without explanation.

For some users, deleting TikTok wasn’t about escaping tracking altogether. Many admitted that removing one app doesn’t change how smartphones work at a device level.

Instead, deleting the app became a way to draw a boundary and respond to a setting they didn’t agree with. In fact, one user on Reddit noted that they hoped other people saw the conversation and deleted TikTok as well.

The backlash over the device geolocation setting isn’t about discovering surveillance for the first time. It’s about consent and control. TikTok users aren’t rejecting technology itself, but the feeling that an option was taken away. Whether TikTok revisits the setting or not, the reaction shows how quickly trust can shift when people feel their choices are no longer theirs.