What does TikTok know about you? Data donations deliver answers!

This AlgorithmWatch article announces the launch of the DataSkop TikTok data-donation campaign, a participatory research effort rather than a findings report. Under the project, users install the DataSkop app, which requests their GDPR-protected usage data directly from TikTok; after receiving the data, typically within a few days, participants can view their own usage patterns before choosing whether to anonymously contribute it to a shared research database.

The article frames the campaign as a response to a structural research gap: platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Google are described as aware of the potential harmful effects of their systems while continuing to restrict independent researcher access to the data needed to study them. It notes TikTok's data collection extends to names, phone numbers, biometric identifiers from facial photos, voice recordings, keystroke patterns, and detailed viewing and engagement metrics, and that the platform has surpassed one billion users globally.

The piece concludes that data donation is a promising alternative method for auditing recommendation algorithms when direct platform access is denied, particularly for questions about misinformation and democratic integrity.