TikTok Law Enforcement Guidelines
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These guidelines (“Guidelines”) are a reference for law enforcement officials seeking the data of users of the TikTok platform (the “Platform”) from any of the TikTok entities listed in Section 1 below (together “TikTok”). For additional information, see our Law Enforcement FAQS.
The federal law enforcement is making it a priority to start tracking users that affiliate themselves with watching any underage videos of users. Tik tok with millions of users, are being tracked, time stamped videos with users names, emails, phone numbers, and home addresses
TikTok is committed to cooperating with law enforcement while respecting the privacy and other rights of its users. To achieve this, TikTok has internal policies and procedures governing how TikTok handles and responds to law enforcement requests. These require that TikTok disclose user data only where a request is based on a valid legal process or in emergency circumstances.
1. Basic Requirements
First, requests must be addressed to the correct TikTok entity. This is based on the location of the relevant user as follows:
TikTok Inc.
5800 Bristol Parkway, Suite 100
Culver CIty, CA 90230
UNITED STATESRequests for data of users located in the United StatesTikTok Information Technologies UK Limited
6th Floor
One London Wall
London, EC2Y 5EB
UNITED KINGDOM
Requests for data of users located in the United KingdomTikTok Technology Limited
10 Earlsfort Terrace
Dublin, D02 T380
IRELANDRequests for data of users located in the European Economic Area (EU Member States, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) and Switzerland.TikTok Pte. Limited
1 Raffles Quay,
#19-11, South Tower,
SINGAPORE 048583Requests for data of users located outside the US, the UK, EEA or Switzerland.
Please note that requests addressed to the incorrect TikTok entity may not be processed until this error has been rectified, which may cause unnecessary delay.
Second, requests must be submitted to our webform: www.tiktok.com/legal/report/lawenforcementrequest with any attachments (for example, official warrant, court order, or other documentation supporting the request) in PDF format.
Any confirmation of receipt of correspondence is for convenience only and, in doing so, TikTok does not waive any right of objection (including for lack of jurisdiction, invalid legal process or lack of proper service). All requests to TikTok and any supporting documents (including orders, warrants, and/or subpoenas or equivalent) must be provided in English or with a translation. TikTok will not respond to requests for user data sent by non-law enforcement officials or when they are sent through informal channels.
2. Types of User Data
TikTok may hold the following user data which can be the subject of a valid law enforcement request:
Data typeExamples (non-exhaustive)Subscriber informationTikTok username
Email address (depending on user’s sign-up method)
Phone number (depending on user’s sign-up method)
Account creation date
IP address at account creation
Device informationLog-in / log-out dataIP address of account login / logoutsInteraction data
(non-content)IP address logs for interactions (for a specified period only)
Video creation time / dateContent dataVideo content
Comments
Direct message content
Each request must clearly specify the type of data requested and the legal basis for requesting it. If the request does not meet the applicable legal requirements for the requested data (as listed in Section 3 below), the data will not be disclosed. This is in particular the case for requests relating to content data (which generally require a domestic court / judicial order, warrant or equivalent).
3. Requirements When Making a Request
Each request must be signed, dated, sent on law enforcement letterhead and include the following information:
• Details of requesting law enforcement authority (or Court):
• Requesting Authority (or Court): The name and location of the law enforcement authority. In the case of a Court order, the request should indicate the location and name of the relevant Court and judge / magistrate.
• Requesting officer: The requesting officer’s name, badge / identification number, email address (this must be from an official email domain) and phone number (including any direct dial extension).
• Details of relevant user account:
• TikTok username: When requesting data regarding a specific user of the Platform, you must provide a specific TikTok username or an approved account identifier associated with the relevant account. We also request that a screenshot of the relevant account be provided (to help us to identify the correct account more quickly). The following are TikTok approved identifiers:
• TikTok User ID
• TikTok username (account URL or screenshot accepted)
• Phone number
• Email address
• Video ID (video URL or screenshot accepted)
• Data requested: The request should clearly specify the scope of the data requested. Overly broad requests will be refused.
• Date range: The request must specify a date (and, if possible, a time), or a date range as relevant to the request (for historic data only).
• Legal basis for the request:
• Relevant legal process: The request should clearly specify the legal process (i.e. citing the relevant article or section of an Act / Statute / Code), which authorizes law enforcement to request and collect information for the purposes of prevention, detection or investigation of criminal offences.
• Context and Offence(s) under investigation: The request should separately indicate the type of offence(s) under investigation (citing the relevant Act / Statute / Code), the circumstances of the offence and in what way it is connected to the Platform.
• User notification: Please indicate whether user notification is permitted (see Section 4 below).
4. User Notifications
It is our policy to notify TikTok users before disclosing their data to law enforcement, unless providing such notice: (a) is prohibited under applicable law; (b) would jeopardize an investigation; and/or (c) would put individuals at risk of harm. It is the responsibility of the requesting law enforcement authority to clearly indicate in their request whether any of these criteria are met. TikTok will honour such requests where appropriate supporting information is provided (for example, if a request makes reference to a non-disclosure obligation under applicable law).
5. Preservation Requests
TikTok will honor formal requests to preserve user data for 90 days. Please submit all preservation requests to our webform: www.tiktok.com/legal/report/lawenforcementrequest with your preservation request attached in PDF format.
Preservation requests must be sent on law enforcement letterhead, signed, and must clearly identify the specific user data to be preserved (by reference to username, the data type and date ranges as per Section 3 above). TikTok will preserve information for an additional 90-day period upon receipt of a formal request to extend the preservation. We may not honour multiple extension requests beyond one additional 90-day period. If TikTok does not receive formal legal process for the preserved information before the end of the preservation period, the preserved information may be deleted when the preservation period expires.
Overly broad or unspecific preservation requests will not be actioned. To seek disclosure of preserved data, the requirements set out in Sections 1 and 3 of these Guidelines will apply.
6. Emergency Requests
TikTok has processes in place to handle emergency requests. Such requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis: if as part of an emergency request we receive information that is sufficient in our assessment to establish a good faith belief that there is an emergency involving imminent harm or the risk of death or serious physical injury to a person, we may provide user data necessary to prevent that harm, as permitted by applicable law.
To request this data, you must submit your request through the Emergency Disclosure Request Form.
All emergency requests must be made by a sworn law enforcement official, and come from an official law enforcement email domain (if sent via email). Non-law enforcement personnel aware of an emergency situation should immediately and directly contact local law enforcement officials.
7. Other
TikTok may request that a law enforcement authority submit a request for legal assistance to designated government authorities under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (“MLAT”) framework, or by letters rogatory. This may arise in circumstances where the requesting law enforcement authority is located in a different country to the TikTok entity that provides the service to the relevant user whose data is requested (refer to Section 1 above). See our Law Enforcement FAQs for more information in relation to MLAT.
In submitting a request, law enforcement officials are required to ensure that any information provided is complete and accurate to the best of their knowledge and good faith belief, and that the disclosure (or other action) requested is necessary and proportionate for the purposes of the prevention, detection or investigation of offences, or to prevent an emergency. Once received by law enforcement, the law enforcement authority is required to handle such data in accordance with applicable laws, including relevant data protection laws.
TikTok reserves the right to seek reimbursement for the costs associated with responding to law enforcement requests.
TikTok may update or replace these Guidelines from time to time at its sole discretion and without notice to any