A new report from The Wall Street Journal has disclosed that TikTok, the popular social media platform, allegedly tracked users who engaged with LGBTQ+ content, according to several former employees. These insiders claim that the company maintained an internal dashboard containing usernames and ID numbers of users who watched videos categorized under the “LGBT” label.

LGBTQ+ privacy concerns and potential consequences on TikTok

This revelation raises privacy concerns, particularly regarding the potential misuse of this sensitive data. Some employees reportedly flagged the issue to higher-level executives, fearing that the information could be shared with external parties or used for blackmail. In response, TikTok restricted access to the dashboard in 2021, but by then, some employees had visibility on users’ IDs for over a year.

Comparing to other social media platforms

While social media companies and apps often collect user data for ad targeting purposes, insiders argue that TikTok’s internal dashboard was more accessible than is typical in the industry. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has faced similar criticisms for inadequate protection of LGBTQ+ users’ privacy. In 2021, Meta banned advertisers from targeting users based on their sexual orientation.

TikTok’s connection to China and its impact

Owned by Chinese company ByteDance, TikTok has been scrutinized by US lawmakers who fear that the Chinese government could force ByteDance to disclose private information about American users. In response to these concerns, a TikTok spokesperson stated that the Chinese government has not requested US user data and that the company has not provided it. The spokesperson also confirmed that the data on users engaging with LGBTQ+ content was deleted in the US nearly a year ago.

TikTok has faced several controversies over its inadequate protections for LGBTQ+ users. In addition to being accused of censoring LGBTQ+ content in some regions and suppressing certain user demographics, TikTok was ranked the least safe social media platform for LGBTQ+ individuals by GLAAD’s Social Media Safety Index. This report highlights an ongoing issue for social media platforms: although they profit from diverse user communities, they often fail to adequately protect their LGBTQ+ users.