TikTok's US operation introduced a hyperlocal discovery tab this week, requiring precise GPS coordinates from adult users who opt in. The Local Feed marks the platform's first significant update since American investors assumed control last month.
Users encounter the feature as a dedicated tab positioned left of their Following feed. It surfaces restaurant reviews, event announcements, and shopping content from nearby businesses.
TikTok restricts access to accounts belonging to people 18 and older, excluding private profiles and those with limited visibility settings.
Location permissions default to off, activating only during active app use according to company statements. iOS devices present three options when users first access the tab: allow once, allow while using the app, or don't allow. Android implementations vary by manufacturer but follow similar permission frameworks.
The launch follows January's controversial privacy policy revision that enabled precise location collection. Some users criticized the change as invasive, though TikTok maintains the approach aligns with standard industry practices.
"This gives people the choice to enable it when they want more relevant, local experiences, while keeping them in control," the company explained.
European markets received comparable functionality called Nearby Feeds in December. TikTok tested location-based discovery in Southeast Asia as early as 2022, refining the concept before its American debut. The US version prioritizes business content over neighbor connections, focusing on commercial discovery rather than social networking.
Oracle leads the investor consortium that now controls TikTok's US operations with 45% ownership. Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi's MGX join eight additional investors holding another 35% combined. ByteDance retains 19.9% under federal ownership caps established during the platform's restructuring.
Small business integration represents a core objective for the feature. An Oxford Economics report cited by TikTok indicates 7.5 million American businesses use the platform to reach customers, supporting 28 million workers. Local Feed aims to strengthen connections between these enterprises and geographically proximate consumers.
Technical issues plagued the platform's transition to American ownership, including service disruptions TikTok attributed to cascading systems failures. The Local Feed rollout signals stabilization efforts while addressing privacy concerns raised during the ownership transfer.
Location data collection continues regardless of Local Feed activation under updated terms that took effect in January. Users must weigh hyperlocal discovery benefits against ongoing location sharing that powers broader recommendation algorithms.
Oracle founder Larry Ellison's involvement raises surveillance questions given his past comments about citizen behavior monitoring. TikTok faces continued scrutiny over data practices under its new American-led governance structure.
The feature appears automatically for eligible users without requiring app updates. Content ranking combines geographic proximity, topic relevance, and posting recency to surface timely local information. TikTok positions Local Feed as a community connector rather than purely commercial tool, though business promotion remains central to its design.
