TikTok's New Policy Lets Government Agencies Request User Data Without Notification: Report

TikTok has quietly modified its privacy and law enforcement policies to allow government and regulatory agencies to request user data — potentially without informing affected users, as different news sites reported on Tuesday.

The short-form video platform, which serves more than 170 million users in the United States, expanded its data-sharing provisions earlier this year while negotiating with the Trump administration to continue operating in the country.

The new policy authorizes TikTok to share user information not only with law enforcement but also with "regulatory authorities, where relevant," while weakening its previous commitment to notify users before disclosing their data.

According to Forbes, TikTok's updated guidelines now state that users will only be notified of data disclosures "where required by law," rather than as a standard practice. The timing of notification has also changed — users may now be informed after their data is shared, removing their ability to challenge government requests in advance.

Tech Story also reported that the change could enable agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to access data through administrative subpoenas, which do not require court approval. These subpoenas can compel companies to release information like usernames, IP addresses, and contact details.

While such requests carry less legal weight than judicial subpoenas, TikTok has not said whether it plans to reject or comply with them.

Previously, major platforms such as Meta have resisted administrative subpoenas and notified users when their data was sought, allowing them to contest the requests in court. By removing its prior notice requirement, TikTok's new policy could make that process impossible, Forbes noted.

Privacy advocates have expressed concern that the weakened language — changing "TikTok rejects data requests" to "TikTok may reject data requests" — grants the company wider discretion to share data voluntarily. A section previously titled "reporting obligations" has also been renamed "proactive reports obligations," which Tech Story said authorizes TikTok to share user data even without formal legal requests in cases of suspected child exploitation or financial misconduct.

TikTok has not provided public explanations for the changes or confirmed whether any U.S. government agencies have requested user data under the new policy. The company maintains that it reviews all legal requests in accordance with applicable laws.

The updates come amid ongoing political pressure from Washington, where the Trump administration continues to negotiate a deal requiring TikTok's U.S. operations to be sold to a group of American and allied investors.