Answer
TikTok will let you know before you delete your account that it is a permanent decision that cannot be undone. The app gives users the option to rethink their decision about deleting their account so they do not accidentally do something they later regret.
How to Delete TikTok Account (2021) | Delete Your TikTok Account
It seems like a simple request: You made an embarrassing clip on the video-sharing app TikTok and want it gone. But when you try to delete your account, all you get is a message that what you’re doing isn’t possible because “your account has been used in connection with [a] violation” of the company’s terms of service. It only gets weirder from there.
TikTok is owned by China-based Bytedance Technology Co., which also runs the popular news aggregation app Toutiao, sometimes described as the “Chinese BuzzFeed.” And for about two weeks this month, many Chinese users have reported they’ve been unable to deactivate their accounts or even change their profile information – despite getting no help from the company.
Instead, users have had to try various ways of getting around TikTok’s restrictions – there’s even a short video tutorial that includes a step about contacting an unspecified “black-hat hacker” for assistance. (A black hat hacker is someone who breaks into computers and networks to steal information or cause damage.) So far, it hasn’t worked; instead, some users claim they’ve been locked out of their accounts for longer periods after trying such workarounds. But some also say they were able to deactivate their accounts by emailing particular addresses associated with TikTok customer service at least four times in one day.
How To Delete Your TikTok Account Permanently! (2020)
This isn’t the first time Chinese internet companies have used similar tactics on users; China’s social media network Weibo did the same in 2016, as did the country’s largest search engine Baidu earlier this year. Both these cases were widely regarded as efforts to discourage online criticism of companies or particular individuals – but TikTok users have said they’re not protesting company policies and haven’t posted any videos that would merit such an action on Bytedance’s part.
A screenshot from user BlobClip from his TikTok account page, showing the date he created it. Note that this is Feb. 17, not Aug. 11 – which is when the company implemented its terms of service change; however, The Washington Post was unable to verify his original post on Weibo that suggested users deactivate their accounts at the earlier date.
In response, some users have shared screenshots of messages they received when trying to delete or change their profile information and explain why they want to leave in the first place:
TikTok has started showing these messages to users via push notifications for different reasons:
Others said they had started receiving these messages shortly after creating their accounts:
Users have also started posting videos in protest, as well as venting about the company’s alleged treatment of them:
Although some users described being able to delete their accounts by emailing a particular customer service address multiple times – even after reading that thousands of others were still having trouble with this and were locked out longer – The Washington Post was unable to verify these claims. Weibo users have posted screenshots from emails they say TikTok sent confirming account deletions; but when we tried contacting someone who said he successfully deleted his account via email, we didn’t hear back.
Top photo from Toutiao’s article about TikTok. The text translates to “What is happening with the popular Chinese app ‘TikTok’? A large number of users have posted complaints on social media saying they’re having trouble logging in or changing their profile information. It seems that they’re no longer allowing users to modify personal information such as names and biographical details, nor can they deactivate their accounts – although they still have access to the platform itself.”|via The Atlantic Council
with a screenshot from Weibo of his TikTok account after deletion; the time zone on the message is set to Tokyo Standard Time, not China Standard Time. |via The Atlantic Council
User BlobClip with screenshots showing that he was able to change and delete his personal information before Aug. 11 – when TikTok implemented their terms of service change – but could no longer do so afterward. |via The Atlantic Council.
TikTok will let you know before you delete your account that it is a permanent decision that cannot be undone. The app gives users the option to rethink their decision about deleting their account so they do not accidentally do something they later regret.
Tap the Me icon in the corner of your screen.Tap the three horizontal dots on the top right corner.Select Manage My Account, and then tap Delete Account. Complete verification process and press Delete.
In Kik, open the account settings and scroll until you find “Deactivate Kik.”
To create your profile on TikTok, open the app and tap on the person icon in the bottom right corner of the screen. It’s a larger button at center-right of your screen. Add an appropriate photo to represent you or yourself across TikTok by following these steps:
1) Tap ‘Edit Profile’ (large button atop center-right screen)
2) Tap ‘Profile Photo’ next to name under big silhouette picture (top left side of page)
3) Use camera feature from app to take a photo with front/rear facing camera
4) Edit & crop photos until desired outcome is reached
5) Swipe back up and choose saved photo for profile