TikTok launches a new “Local Feed” feature in the US version of the app. This opt-in feature displays content related to travel, news, events, shopping, and dining by using users’ precise GPS location. This is similar to the “Nearby Feeds” that launched in the UK and Europe in December. This is the first major update since TikTok’s US operations changed ownership last month.
TikTok launches new Local Feed feature in the US
This comes shortly after a change in TikTok’s terms of service under the new US joint venture, which said that the app would begin to collect precise location information from users. The reason for this is to power the Local Feed feature. However, this will be an opt-in experience. The default setting is “off.” TikTok says the precise location tracking used for this feature is only active when you’re using the app.
Local Feed will appear as a tab in the home screen in the app. As said, it will include local content related to travel, events, restaurants, and shopping. It will also include posts from small businesses and local creators. The feature won’t be available to users under 18 years of age.
Not available to users under 18
TikTok says that Local Feed aims to be social by connecting users with their local community by showing content based on their location, the content’s topic, and when the content was posted. The new feature fits nicely into TikTok’s push to attract small businesses into its app. Not just as content creators, but also as advertisers. TikTok says that 7.5 million businesses currently use the app to reach global customers. These businesses support more than 28 million workers, as per a 2025 Oxford Economics report.
The first time you access the Local Feed, you’ll see a prompt to allow the app to use your location data. For example, iOS users will get “allow once,” “allow while using the app,” and “don’t allow” options. TikTok says that this approach is consistent with many modern apps that use location today. It “gives people the choice to enable it when they want more relevant, local experiences, while keeping them in control,” says TikTok.
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