Why Won’t TikTok Let People Unsubscribe From Its Emails?

TikTok has been in hot water lately, as several U.S. politicians are now calling for a ban on the social media app over its alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party. But TikTok users have been complaining to the Federal Trade Commission about one particular problem and it has nothing to do with data privacy. TikTok users can’t seem to unsubscribe from the company’s emails.

I recently filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the FTC for consumer complaints lodged about TikTok. I frequently do this to learn about problems that customers are upset enough to file an official complaint with the U.S. government over, whether it’s investors who lost money with FTX or Twitter users who got scammed by Elon Musk impersonators.

The FTC responded with a letter that it’s received 1,301 complaints about TikTok since 2016, and released the most recent 200 to me, as it’s required to under the FOIA statute. There are plenty of anecdotes about people who say they’ve been locked out of their accounts or complain they’ve been hacked. And other stories about not getting paid properly for being a content creator or being scammed by seedy influencers, including one person who says they were swindled out of $20,000 by a purported psychic. But the most common complaint by far was about the inability to unsubscribe from TikTok’s emails.

“I have unsubscribed from emails from TikTok at least three times. I follow the unsubscribe link in their emails, check the box on the ensuing site that should unsubscribe me from all emails, and receive confirmation that I am unsubscribed,” one typical complaint to the FTC reads.

“Despite following these steps, I continue to receive emails from TikTok, sometimes mere hours after I have unsubscribed,” the complaint continues.

The CAN-SPAM Act was passed in 2003 to mandate several common sense requirements around unwanted email. The law requires all businesses that send out email to provide an easy way to unsubscribe from those emails, something that consumers say isn’t happening. I reached out to TikTok Thursday morning for comment and I’ll update this post if I hear back.

I’ve pulled some of the complaints from the FTC documents and am publishing them below. The complaints have been redacted by the FTC to protect the privacy of the people who notified the agency. I’ve made very minor spelling and capitalization corrections for readability, but the complaints are otherwise just as they were received by the FTC.

I’ve also included the story of the psychic at the end, just because I’m sure you’re curious. TikTok isn’t the only platform with scammers, of course, but it’s truly surprising how much money some people can get swindled for using pretty basic cold reading techniques. Stay safe out there, folks.

“I have used the provided link from TikTok three different times”

I have used the provided link from TikTok three different times in the last two weeks to UNSUBSCRIBE from all email correspondence from the company as I have deleted the application from my phone. I contacted their customer service yesterday to no avail for any sort of help explanation why I was still getting emails though I was unsubscribed from their email chain. I proceeded to unsubscribe once again yesterday and still received emails today (25 Jan 2023)

“I have likely gone through that process about 10 times”

I get emails from them daily about suggested videos to watch on their app at around 5pm. I have clicked on their unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email and unchecked every box category they have to send emails, but it has never changed what gets sent. I have likely gone through that process about 10 times

“I have unsubscribed from emails at least half a dozen times”

I have unsubscribed from emails at least half a dozen times and am STILL receiving emails almost every day. It has been weeks and the emails are still coming. Please help make this stop. I’ve included a screenshot of me unsubscribing yet again, but unfortunately do not have any proof of me doing so the many other times. Also, the emails are not related to account security, etc. as it says I will still receive those; they are always just a bunch of recommended TikToks

“I always select unsubscribe from all.”

TikTok is not unsubscribing me from the mailing list after using multiple times the unsubscribe button in the emails. In the unsubscribe dialog I always select unsubscribe from all.

“I never signed up”

I’ve unsubscribed from Tiktok’s mailing list (which I never signed up for) at least 5 times and they continue to email me daily.

“I continue to receive emails from TikTok”

I have unsubscribed from emails from TikTok at least three times. I follow the unsubscribe link in their emails, check the box on the ensuing site that should unsubscribe me from all emails, and receive confirmation that I am unsubscribed. Despite following these steps, I continue to receive emails from TikTok, sometimes mere hours after I have unsubscribed.

“...they continue to send me spam”

I have unsubscribed multiple times and they continue to send me spam that I have not signed up for.

“TikTok the mobile app does not let users unsubscribe”

TikTok the mobile app does not let users unsubscribe from their marketing emails. When a user clicks unsubscribe the user just lands on a page with some text and is unable to take action.

“...not honoring unsubscribe”

TikTok is not honoring unsubscribe from email notifications

“...got me for over $20,000 saying it was for energy”

I was in contact with a so called psychic through TikTok and over the course of 3-4 weeks got me for over $20,000 saying it was for energy and all money would be returned then just kept delaying and making excuse on the return until yesterday when apparently her friend contacted me using the same number saying she was a scammer and scam people out of money. But said she would not give me any details about her because it was her friend I believe this is the owner of the phone number being used, I have all 5 account names she used for me to send money via PayPal and Venmo I have filed dispute with them but as of now Venmo has denied the disputes and PayPal said I needed to contacted my institutions that the funds came from, I’m in that process now. I’m not sure if I should contact the sheriff sept as well or not? Anyway just going to give you the account names in case you need them. [redacted] the name the phone number is under is [redacted] out of [redacted] the womens name is [redacted] and the [redacted] confirmed her name being [redacted] when I started the dispute saying she gave all money sent from me to [redacted] all our contact was via text messages and phone calls (I have some of the latter calls recorded, sorry if this is a duplicate or I’ve summoned this before I’m just trying to report everywhere I can think of!!!!