TikTok, formerly known as Musical.ly, is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms around, with an estimated 200 million users worldwide. To help TikTok users better protect their accounts from strangers who might find and abuse their profiles, the app recently added a new feature that alerts users when someone has viewed their profile but left without making any contact or posting to it or them. Here’s how to turn on this handy new option!
For The Creators
It can be a little unnerving when you see somebody eyeing your profile but don’t know who it is. Well, now there’s a new feature on TikTok that lets you find out. All you have to do is tap Yes and then tap Share My Location when they pop up in your inbox. Then, they’ll show up on your live map so you can see where they are and tell whether or not they’re creepers.
If you want to turn it off, tap No and then tap No Thanks when they pop up in your inbox. It’s also worth noting that you can only see people who have turned on their location services on TikTok. So if they haven’t shared that information with you yet, you’ll have no way of knowing whether or not they’re creepers (or just creepy).
In general, it’s a good idea to use caution with any app or social media platform that offers location services. Even if someone shares their profile information with your account, there are ways they can avoid showing up on your live map. The most popular trick is simply sharing their number instead of their name so you won’t be able to find them unless you search for them directly by username.
For The Observers
There is a new feature on TikTok that will notify you when someone is viewing your profile. While it might be upsetting or nerve-wracking, there are some instances in which this information can come in handy. When meeting someone who lives too far away, you can let them know their distance would make it too hard for them to meet up with you. It could also be helpful if the person is a troll, and a notification will let you know they’ve been lurking around your page. Finally, if you are being catfished, this notification will show up to alert you of their impostor behavior.
However, there are instances in which your profile being viewed could become an issue. Imagine someone who is obsessed with you stalks your page for hours on end. This can be alarming and might make you feel uncomfortable about using a platform that does not allow private profiles. It also has implications when it comes to privacy, especially because no matter how many times you block someone, they can always get around that by simply making a new account and logging back in through their phone.
For Both
To turn on this new feature, make sure you’re using the latest version of TikTok. Open up your profile settings by tapping on your avatar at the top left of your screen. Scroll down and you’ll see a toggle for who sees my profile — make sure it’s set to friends only. Now, you’ll be able to see who is viewing your profile when other people open it. (Just in case anyone needs help getting these cool features).
Next, you’ll need to turn on post notifications in your settings. This will send a notification when someone comments on or likes your posts so you don’t miss any important action. Open up your profile settings by tapping on your avatar at the top left of your screen. Scroll down and tap notifications near where it says who sees my profile is set to friends only. Enable post notifications by sliding that toggle over, then return to main menu by pressing back on Android or tapping home on iOS.
With these settings enabled, you’ll see an orange dot on your profile anytime someone views your profile, and a notification for when someone comments or likes a post. You can also see who views your profile by tapping on your username anywhere in TikTok — like in search results or comments. This will take you directly to your profile, where you can scroll down and see everyone who has viewed it during that session. If you’d rather turn off these notifications, just slide them off from wherever they appear in Settings — after all, they are quite distracting!