How to Hide Your TikTok Following List: Master Your TikTok Privacy

Want to curate your online presence and control who sees your activity on TikTok? Good for you! Taking charge of your privacy is a smart move in today’s digital landscape. The good news is, hiding your TikTok following list is a straightforward process. Here’s exactly how to do it:

1. Open the TikTok app on your mobile device.
2. Tap on the “Profile” icon located in the bottom right corner of the screen.
3. Tap on the three horizontal lines (the “hamburger menu”) in the top right corner. This opens your settings and privacy menu.
4. Select “Settings and privacy.”
5. Scroll down and tap on “Privacy.”
6. Under the “Connections” section, find and tap on “Following list.”
7. Choose your preferred visibility setting. You have two options:
   • “Only me”: This makes your following list completely private. Only you can see who you are following.
   • “Followers you follow back”: Only the users who are following you back can see your following list.

That’s it! Your following list is now hidden according to your chosen setting. This simple tweak can significantly enhance your control over your TikTok privacy.

Why Hide Your Following List? Reasons & Benefits

There are several compelling reasons why users choose to hide their TikTok following list. It’s not about being secretive, but about managing your online experience:

• Enhanced Privacy: Plain and simple, hiding your following list provides a layer of privacy. Some users prefer not to share their following habits with everyone on the platform.
• Avoiding Unwanted Attention: Sometimes, displaying your followers can attract unwanted attention or scrutiny from other users. Keeping it private can reduce this.
• Personalized Experience: It allows you to tailor your TikTok experience without external influences. You can follow who you want without feeling pressured to follow others based on social expectations.
• Competitive Advantage (For Creators/Businesses): In some cases, hiding your following list might be strategically beneficial. For instance, a business might not want competitors to see who they’re following for market research purposes.
• Preventing Follower Targeting: Malicious actors sometimes scrape follower lists to target users with spam or phishing attempts. Hiding your list can mitigate this risk.

Mastering TikTok Privacy: Other Considerations

While hiding your following list is a great start, consider these other privacy settings to maximize your control:

• Private Account: Setting your account to “Private” means that only approved followers can see your videos, likes, and following/followers lists.
• Comment Filters: Control who can comment on your videos by using comment filters. You can restrict comments to followers, people you follow back, or friends.
• Direct Message Settings: Manage who can send you direct messages. Options include everyone, friends, or no one.
• Like Visibility: Decide who can see the videos you’ve liked. You can choose between “Only me” and “Everyone.”
• Duet and Stitch Settings: Control who can duet or stitch your videos. Options include everyone, friends, or no one.

TikTok Following List FAQs: Everything You Need to Know

Here are 12 frequently asked questions to address any remaining queries about hiding your TikTok following list:

1. Will hiding my following list affect my engagement on TikTok?

Generally, no, hiding your following list shouldn’t directly affect your engagement. Your videos’ visibility and performance are primarily determined by the TikTok algorithm, which considers factors like watch time, likes, comments, and shares, not the visibility of your following list.

2. Can people still see who my followers are if I hide my following list?

Yes. Hiding your following list only prevents others from seeing who you follow. Your followers list is a separate setting and can be managed independently in the same “Privacy” section under “Followers list”.

3. If I choose “Followers you follow back,” what happens?

If you select “Followers you follow back,” only users who are also following you will be able to see your following list. Anyone else will see that your following list is private.

4. Can I change my following list visibility setting back and forth?

Absolutely! You can change your following list visibility setting as often as you like. The change will take effect immediately.

5. Will hiding my following list prevent people from finding my account?

No. Hiding your following list does not affect the discoverability of your account. People can still find you through your username, content, or through mutual connections.

6. Does hiding my following list affect whether I appear in other people’s “Suggested Accounts”?

No. The “Suggested Accounts” feature is based on a complex algorithm that considers various factors, including your content, interactions, and location. Hiding your following list doesn’t influence this feature.

7. Can I hide my following list on a specific video only?

No. The following list visibility setting is an account-wide setting. You cannot apply it to individual videos.

8. If I hide my following list, will it affect my ability to see other people’s following lists?

No. Your ability to see other users’ following lists depends on their privacy settings, not your own. If they have made their following list public, you will be able to see it.

9. How do I know if someone has hidden their following list?

If someone has hidden their following list, you will not be able to see who they are following. TikTok will typically display a message indicating that the user’s following list is private.

10. Is there a difference between hiding my following list and having a private account?

Yes, there’s a big difference! Hiding your following list only affects the visibility of who you follow. A private account restricts access to all your content (videos, likes, following/followers lists) to only approved followers. A private account offers a much higher level of privacy.

11. Will hiding my following list stop people from mentioning me in their videos or comments?

No. Hiding your following list doesn’t prevent others from mentioning you using the “@” symbol in their videos or comments. You can manage mentions through other privacy settings, such as comment filters.

12. I’m a brand using TikTok for marketing. Should I hide my following list?

It depends on your strategy. For some brands, transparency is key, and showing who you follow can build trust. However, if you’re strategically following competitors for research purposes, hiding your following list might be beneficial. Consider your specific goals and target audience.

By understanding these nuances and utilizing the available privacy settings, you can enjoy a more controlled and personalized TikTok experience. Remember that privacy is a spectrum, and it’s about finding the settings that best suit your individual needs and preferences.