TikTok launched a new “Local Feed” in the U.S. version of its app. This feed displays content related to travel, news, events, shopping, and dining near the user’s current location. The feature’s arrival follows a recent change in TikTok’s terms of service, which stated the app would begin collecting precise location information from users.
TikTok confirms that the reason for requesting more accurate location data is to power the Local Feed. The company notes that users will control whether precise location sharing is on, with the default setting being “off,” making this an opt-in experience.
The Local Feed initially rolled out in December to select European markets, including the U.K., France, Italy, and Germany. According to TikTok, the feed helps users stay connected to their local community. Posts are shown based on a user’s location, the content’s topic, and when it was posted, creating a current feed of local information like new restaurant suggestions, local events, and shopping ideas.
This new feature aligns with TikTok’s push to attract small businesses, not only as content creators but as advertisers. This strategy could help insulate the platform against further regulation by allowing it to claim, as Meta does, that many small businesses rely on its services to reach customers.
TikTok states that 7.5 million businesses currently use the app to reach global customers, supporting more than 28 million workers according to a 2025 Oxford Economics report. The company also cited figures from the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, which found that 84% of TikTok small business users said the platform helped grow their business, while 75% said it helped them reach customers beyond their local area. Another 74% said TikTok helps them connect with their local community.
TikTok believes the Local Feed will help generate real-world traffic and sales for brick-and-mortar stores across the U.S.
The first time users access the Local Feed, they will be prompted to allow the app to use their location data. On iOS, for example, the request will let users choose to allow access once, only while using the app, or not at all. TikTok says this approach is consistent with how many modern apps use location and keeps users in control.
However, TikTok might have seen a better reception to this feature had it rolled out the request for precise location data before or at the same time as its recent ownership transition in the U.S. That timing could have provided clearer context for why it wanted to collect this data.
Even with a stated purpose for the location data, it is worth considering whether the value of a local feed is worth the potential privacy risk.
TikTok also notes that the Local Feed will be available only to users 18 and older and will only collect information while the app is in use.