What is Project Texas?
Project Texas is an unprecedented initiative dedicated to making every U.S. user on TikTok feel safe, providing them with confidence that their data is secure and the operation of the…
FAQ
FAQ
What is USDS and how is it governed?
As part of Project Texas, we created a standalone entity called TikTok U.S. Data Security Inc. (USDS). USDS is a separate company tasked with managing all business functions that require…
When will Project Texas be fully operational?
Implementing Project Texas is an ongoing effort and we have made substantial progress against that goal. Building on our past progress, as of today, we have implemented several new components…
Who will work for TikTok USDS?
USDS currently has more than 2,000 full-time employees, and we expect that number to continue to grow. It includes all functions required to run any aspect of the U.S. version…
Where does TikTok store U.S. user data?
New protected U.S. user data is stored by default in the Oracle Cloud and USDS infrastructures with controlled and monitored gateways. Once deletion of backup data is complete (a process…
Who has access to U.S. user data?
Today, only vetted employees of TikTok USDS have access to new U.S. user data, with limited exceptions for things like business metrics or data needed to respond to an emergency…
What kind of data does TikTok collect?
In line with industry practices, we collect information that people provide to help the app function, operate securely, and improve the user experience. More details can be found in our…
Can a person request that their data be deleted from TikTok?
Yes. Anyone can request access to or deletion of their information in app or through the webpage here.
Who owns TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance?
TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, was founded by Chinese entrepreneurs. ByteDance is a privately-held global company, roughly 60 percent owned by global institutional investors (such as Blackrock, General Atlantic, and…
Has TikTok or ByteDance ever shared US user data with the Chinese government?
TikTok has not been asked, nor has it provided any U.S. user data to the Chinese government.
Does the Chinese government own a small percentage of ByteDance?
No. As is required under local law, in order to operate certain ByteDance news and information products that are offered exclusively in China, an entity affiliated with the Chinese government…
Isn’t ByteDance/TikTok required to provide information to the Chinese government, if asked?
Project Texas is designed to make this question moot. Once TikTok USDS is fully operational, ByteDance and TikTok will not have access to protected U.S. user data (with limited exceptions),…
How can you be sure that ByteDance or the Chinese government truly has no means to access U.S. user data or manipulate content on the platform?
To safeguard against unauthorized access to our systems — such as backdoors or data leakage—every single line of source code that goes into the Oracle environment, whether it comes from…