By Kim Albarella, Head of TikTok Global Security

Today we're introducing new security tools so users can take control, make updates in seconds, and stay safe and secure with confidence as well as providing further support to our community to protect them from fraud and scams.

  • We've rolled out a new feature called 'Security Check Up' an all-in-one security dashboard to easily review and update account security settings.
  • TikTok is participating (on Monday 17 March) in UK's Day of Action, a continuation of the "Stop! Think Fraud" campaign led by the UK government in partnership with City of London Police, UK National Cyber Security Centre, and UK National Crime Agency.
  • We are continuing to educate our community to #BeCyberSmart through educational series like @TikTokTips.

Security insights in a few taps

With Security Checkup, securing your TikTok account has never been easier. Users can access it from their TikTok profile by selecting 'Settings and privacy' and tapping 'Security & permissions'. Once opened, Security Checkup provides a step-by-step guide to key security features designed to keep accounts safe:

  • Lock down your login: Link both a phone number and email address to ensure a backup login method.
  • Double your defenses: Enable 2-Step Verification for an extra layer of security when logging in from an unfamiliar device. Learn more here.      
  • Keep tabs on your devices: Regularly check which devices are logged into your account and remove any that are unrecognized or no longer in use.
  • Spot suspicious activity fast: TikTok proactively detects unusual account behavior and flags it in the 'Security & permissions' settings for user review.
  • Go password-free with passkeys: Use device-based authentication methods like Face ID or Touch Unlock for a secure and seamless sign-in. Learn more here.


How we combat scams and fraud

Today, on March 17th, TikTok is participating in UK's Day of Action, a continuation of the "Stop! Think Fraud" campaign led by the UK government in partnership with City of London Police, UK National Cyber Security Centre, and UK National Crime Agency. This day encourages people to adopt two-step verification (2SV) and learn about other tools to stay ahead of online scams.

More broadly at TikTok, we educate and empower our global community to stay vigilant against common industry-wide scams year-round. As stated in our Community Guidelines, TikTok does not allow attempts to defraud or scam members of our community, and will continue to monitor for and remove this content from our platform.

Check in & slow down

Scammers often create a false sense of urgency to get targets to lower their defenses and act quickly. When fielding requests from someone claiming to be family, a friend, or even TikTok support, take a moment before responding, sharing personal information, downloading files, or clicking on links. Be sure to verify the source, like phone number, email address, or URL. When in doubt, don't engage.

To help educate against scams, TikTok launched informational banners when certain terms or topics are searched on the platform. For example, if you search "#FinTok," we've included a banner at the top of the page that reads, "Before following any financial advice, keep in mind that all investments involve risks and consider doing your own research." This page then guides users to a page with useful tips on avoiding financial scams and links to report. It's easy to report fraud or scams on TikTok - just hold down on the screen, tap "report," and select "fraud and scams".


Privacy & security are core to TikTok

Safeguarding our global community’s data is at the heart of TikTok. We invest in protections at every level and provide people with choice and control so they can create, connect, and share with confidence. TikTok also encourages its global community to #BeCyberSmart through educational series like @TikTokTips.

Learn more about our privacy and data security practices in our Privacy Center, Help Center, and informative series like TikTok Privacy Studio and TikTok Facts.