Does an agency own your TikTok account?
Ownership and access are different things, and an agency can hold heavy access without holding either.
Is this your situation?
You hired an agency to run your TikTok account, and now you are not sure who actually controls it. You want to know whether the agency can be treated as the owner of the account.
What it is
A partner is another business you work with to manage and build TikTok campaigns. Sharing a TikTok account through Business Center lets an admin authorize partners to manage advertising campaigns. Sharing a TikTok account grants partners specific permissions for advertising activities without compromising full ownership and control of the TikTok account. A Business Center can only grant partners permissions to a TikTok account that the Business Center itself already has. An admin can monitor partner activity and manage permissions on a shared TikTok account at any time.
How TikTok handles this
- A partner is another business you work with to manage and build TikTok campaigns.
- Sharing a TikTok account grants partners specific permissions for advertising activities without compromising full ownership and control of the TikTok account.
- With partners in Business Center you can adjust ad account permissions.
- You can remove a partner's access to your assets.
- Partners can use a shared TikTok account for advertising purposes such as running Spark Ads based on the access level provided.
Side by side
| Arrangement | What it means | What it does not mean |
|---|---|---|
| Sharing a TikTok account | Grants partners specific permissions for advertising activities. | Does not compromise full ownership and control of the TikTok account. |
| Partner access | A partner is another business you work with to manage and build TikTok campaigns. | You still want to know who controls the account. |
| Granted permissions | A Business Center can only grant a partner permissions it already holds itself. | You check what permissions your Business Center itself holds. |
| Admin oversight | An admin can monitor partner activity and manage permissions at any time. | You can review and change access whenever you choose. |
Common mistakes
- Treating heavy access as ownership You assume advertising permissions mean the agency owns the account.Why it happens: Sharing grants permissions for advertising activities without compromising ownership and control.Already happened: See when an agency owns your TikTok assets. How to Recover Access to a TikTok Business Center
- Assuming access cannot be adjusted You worry that once shared, access is fixed.Why it happens: An admin can monitor partner activity and manage permissions on a shared TikTok account at any time.
- Not reviewing what was granted A Business Center can only share permissions it already has for the account.Why it happens: Partner permissions are limited to those the Business Center holds.
If this changes who is in control
If you are unsure what an agency partner can do with your account, review the permissions currently shared with them. See when an agency owns your TikTok assets to check whether control has shifted further than intended.
Quick reference
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Partner | A business you work with to manage and build TikTok campaigns. |
| Sharing a TikTok account | Lets an admin authorize partners to manage advertising campaigns. |
| Ownership and control | Sharing grants permissions without compromising full ownership and control. |
| Permission limits | A Business Center can only grant a partner permissions it already has. |
| Adjusting access | Admins can adjust ad account permissions for partners. |
| Removing access | Admins can remove a partner's access to assets. |
| Monitoring | Admins can monitor partner activity and manage permissions at any time. |
| Use case | An agency working with its advertisers is one example of a partner arrangement. |
Frequently asked questions
Does sharing my TikTok account with an agency give them ownership?
No, sharing grants specific permissions for advertising activities without compromising full ownership and control.
Can an agency do more than what I shared with them?
No, a Business Center can only grant a partner permissions that the Business Center itself already has.
Can I change what an agency partner can access later?
Yes, you can adjust ad account permissions for a partner whenever needed.
Can I end an agency's access entirely?
Yes, you can remove a partner's access to your assets.
Keeping track of who has access
Confusion about who controls an account builds as more partners and permissions get added over time. Delvia keeps a clear picture of what each partner can actually do with your TikTok account.
Was this helpful?