TikTok launched a U.S. “Local Feed” on Wednesday, showing nearby travel, news, events, shopping and dining content, after updating its terms of service to collect precise location data from users under its new U.S. joint venture.
The feature aims to integrate small businesses into the platform as both content creators and advertisers while increasing real-world traffic for brick-and-mortar stores. By establishing a localized content stream, TikTok seeks to compete with existing social media platforms that utilize geographic positioning to drive commerce and community engagement.
The Local Feed utilizes a user’s geographic coordinates, video subject tags, and upload timestamps to prioritize recently posted nearby content. The service is restricted to users aged 18 and older and only records location data while the application is active.
A recent amendment to TikTok’s U.S. terms of service, issued under its new joint venture, enables the collection of precise location information. The company stated that location sharing is disabled by default and requires users to manually opt-in through a system prompt or application settings.
TikTok stated the opt-in model is designed to provide users control over their data while offering relevant local experiences. On iOS devices, users are presented with standard options to allow access once, during app use, or to deny the request entirely.
The company is positioning the Local Feed as a tool for economic growth, citing a 2025 Oxford Economics report stating that 7.5 million businesses use the platform. According to the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, 74% of small-business users on the platform reported that TikTok helped them connect with their local community.
Analysts noted that the introduction of precise location requests follows the platform’s recent U.S. ownership transition. Industry observers suggested the focus on small-business support mirrors strategies used by other technology firms to mitigate regulatory scrutiny by highlighting their role in supporting millions of workers.
TikTok is a short-form video platform that recently reorganized its U.S. operations into a joint venture to comply with federal ownership requirements. The Local Feed was previously piloted in December in European markets, including the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Germany.
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