People Are Deleting TikTok Because of This Alarming New Privacy Concern

Social media platform TikTok is officially under a U.S. handle, and people are deleting the app because of it. That’s right, after TikTok announced via a Jan. 23, 2026, press release the U.S. controlled entity now charged with overseeing its operations, users took to platforms like Reddit and Threads to share that they were leaving TikTok by deleting their accounts.

In the press release, TikTok explained that TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC was established to comply with Donald Trump’s executive order issued on Sept. 25, 2025.

But people aren’t thrilled to learn that U.S. user data collected from the app will be stored in “Oracle’s secure U.S. cloud environment,” as the press release notes. And there’s another big red flag waving in people’s faces — the emergence of new policies, which are likely why users are deleting the app. Here’s more on that.

People are deleting the TikTok app following news of the updated Terms of Service and Privacy Policy issued under the new company tasked with overseeing operations, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC. Under the new terms, TikTok is asking users to agree to some pretty concerning clauses, the first of which deals with granting access to their real-time location.

The announcement, which has been popping up on users’ screens, reads: “We are updating our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (both as linked) effective Jan. 22, 2026, to reflect changes including: Updated corporate entity. New types of location information (including device geolocation) we may collect from you, with your permission.”

The last clause mentions that the app will be changing “how we use your information we have collected or will collect to show you ads outside TikTok.” Users are given the option to “opt out of these ads,” with a link directly next to the information.

While people were already concerned about data sharing when TikTok was solely under Chinese ownership, those concerns haven’t gone away with a majority-owned U.S. company now in control. That’s because the new terms suggest the app will have access to precise locations using geolocation, which can use GPS, Wi-Fi signals, cell towers, and even Bluetooth to pinpoint your location.

Since some people aren’t even comfortable sharing their exact location with family members, the idea of TikTok tracking their every move has them feeling very uneasy.

On top of location concerns, users are also complaining about harsher censorship. Comedian Megan Stalter posted on Instagram that she was deleting the app because she was “unable to upload anything about ICE, even after I tried to trick the page by making it look like a comedy video.”

If you didn’t know, Oracle plays a big role in TikTok’s new U.S.-majority-owned company. Oracle is owned by billionaire Larry Ellison, who happens to be very close to Trump. Naturally, people who are anti-Trump aren’t thrilled about this. Many users are also concerned that a group of people linked to Trump is managing their data.

Threads user @teamstewie summed it up: “I would trust China with my information more than the current owners.” Because of this, not only are people deleting TikTok, but many are also blocking Oracle on TikTok in an effort to try to remove any connection or support they might be giving to anyone involved in accessing their private information, or anyone directly tied to Trump.