How to stop TikTok tracking you – even when you are not on the app

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For American users, TikTok has undergone a massive transformation – and not necessarily for the better. Following years of legislative battles and a trip to the Supreme Court, a new “US version” of the app officially launched in early 2026.

Known as TikTok USDS Joint Venture, this entity is now majority-owned by American investors, including Oracle and Silver Lake. And while this deal was designed to sever ties with Chinese parent company ByteDance to protect national security, the new terms of service have actually introduced more aggressive tracking.

Oracle is now retraining the algorithm specifically on US data, and for the first time, the app explicitly states it can collect “precise geolocation” and integrate more deeply with external ad networks.

However, the reality is that whether you are in the US or the UK, TikTok’s reach extends far beyond the app itself.

Through “tracking pixels” – tiny, invisible pieces of code embedded on millions of third-party websites –  TikTok can follow you across the web, harvesting data on your health, finances, and interests even if you’ve never created an account.

Here are seven essential tips to reclaim your privacy and stop the silent surveillance.

1. Disconnect “Off-TikTok” Activity

TikTok uses a feature similar to Meta’s “Off-Facebook Activity” to track what you do on other websites. To stop this, go to Settings and Privacy > Ads > Disconnect Advertisers. This prevents the app from tailoring ads based on the data it receives from third-party sites you visit.

2. Clear Your Activity History

Even if you disconnect future tracking, TikTok may already have a vast profile of your past browsing habits. In the same Ads menu, select Clear Activity. You can perform this every 24 hours to ensure that any data harvested via tracking pixels is regularly wiped from your advertising profile.

3. Kill the “Tracking Pixel” at source

TikTok’s most invasive tool is the “pixel,” which is currently installed on an estimated 5% of the world’s top websites. To block these invisible trackers, switch your browser to DuckDuckGo or Brave, or install a robust extension like uBlock Origin on Firefox. These tools identify and kill the background scripts that transmit your data to TikTok’s servers.

4. Opt-Out of Precise Geolocation

Under the new 2026 US terms of service, TikTok has shifted from “approximate” IP-based location to “precise” GPS tracking. To stop this, head to your phone’s system settings (not just the app settings). On iOS, go to Privacy & Security > Location Services > TikTok and set it to “Never.” On Android, use the Permission Manager to deny location access entirely.

5. Disable “Suggest Your Account to Others”

To minimize your digital footprint, go to Settings and Privacy > Privacy > Suggest your account to others. Toggle off all options, including phone numbers and Facebook friends. This prevents TikTok from creating “shadow profiles” that link your identity across different social circles and platforms.

6. Avoid Third-Party Logins

When signing up for new services or websites, never use the “Log in with TikTok” button. Doing so creates a permanent data bridge between that service and your TikTok profile, allowing the company to monitor your interactions and purchases on that external site with total transparency.

7. Reset Your Advertising ID

Your phone has a unique “Advertising ID” that act as a digital fingerprint for trackers. On Android, go to Settings > Privacy > Ads and select Delete Advertising ID. On iOS, ensure “Allow Apps to Request to Track” is toggled off in your Privacy settings. This breaks the link between your device and the profile TikTok has built.

Conclusion

The “Americanization” of TikTok in 2026 has proven that ownership changes don’t necessarily equate to privacy improvements. In many ways, the new US entity has become a more refined surveillance machine, legally sanctioned to mine domestic data with even greater precision.

By following these steps, particularly blocking pixels and resetting your advertising IDs, you can significantly limit the amount of “lifestyle data” TikTok captures.

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