I was slightly amazed at this answer to my question about TikTok

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TikTok vs. Facebook: Data Points Collected

Overview

Both TikTok and Facebook are known for extensive data collection, but there are notable differences in the scope and scale of what each platform gathers.

Number of Data Points Collected

PlatformData Points Collected (out of 32 defined by Apple)Notable Data Types Collected
Facebook32 (all possible)Name, email, phone, address, contacts, precise location, browsing history
TikTok24Name, email, phone, device ID, clipboard, messages, usage, body data

  • Facebook and Instagram (both owned by Meta) are the only major apps that collect all 32 data points defined by Apple, making them the most data-hungry mainstream apps6.

  • TikTok collects 24 out of the 32 possible data points, which is above the average of 15 for popular apps, but still less than Facebook6.

Qualitative Comparison

  • Meta (Facebook) collects the most personal data, integrating it across multiple platforms (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp), resulting in a broader and more detailed data profile5.

  • TikTok collects a wide range of data, including behavioral, technical, and even some biometric data (like body movements), but does not collect precise location data as consistently as Meta does5.

  • Some privacy researchers and reports confirm that, in some cases, TikTok gathers less data than Facebook, though both platforms collect a significant amount134.

Types of Data Collected

Both platforms collect:

  • Personally identifiable information (PII): name, email, phone number, date of birth, etc.

  • Usage data: what you watch, interact with, and how long you spend on content.

  • Device and technical data: device model, operating system, IP address, etc.

  • Content data: messages, photos, videos, audio, clipboard contents (with permission)2378.

Meta/Facebook goes further by:

  • Integrating data across its ecosystem (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp)5.

  • Collecting more data types, such as precise location and more extensive tracking for advertising and analytics6.

Summary Table

Feature/MetricFacebookTikTok
Total Data Points (Apple)3224
Cross-platform integrationYes (Meta apps)No
Precise locationYesSometimes/No
Clipboard accessNoYes (with consent)
Biometric/body dataNoYes
Messages/contentYesYes
Payment infoYesYes

Conclusion

  • Facebook collects more data points than TikTok, both in quantity and breadth, making it the most data-intensive mainstream social platform56.

  • TikTok collects slightly fewer data points, but still gathers a substantial amount of personal, behavioral, and device data16.

  • Both platforms' data collection practices are extensive, but Facebook's integration across multiple services and its collection of all possible data points make it the more comprehensive data collector56.

Citations:

  1. https://pirg.org/articles/demystifying-tiktok-data/
  2. https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/1bspx8a/heres_the_data_that_tiktok_collects_on_its_users/
  3. https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/24/tech/tiktok-ban-national-security-hearing/index.html
  4. https://www.tabcut.com/blog/post/tiktok-vs-facebook-who-tracks-more-data-shorts
  5. https://www.itedgenews.africa/how-much-data-does-each-social-media-app-collect/
  6. https://surfshark.com/research/study/app-privacy-checker
  7. https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/08/06/tiktok-any-worse-privacy-and-data-mining-than-facebook/3311726001/
  8. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/02/03/tiktok-delete-advice/

Answer from Perplexity: pplx.ai/share

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