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Sharma et al. (2023): Brands are able to use social media platforms to gain insights into their customers behaviours and preferences to design more targeted and personalised advertisements.

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Privacy and Trust in the Age of Targeted Ads: Gen Z’s Experience

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Privacy and Trust in the Age of Targeted Ads: Gen Z’s Experience

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Concerns surrounding user privacy and where the line should be drawn in intrusive data collection.

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Many studies focus on how advertisements affect Gen Z’s buying behaviours or their engagement with ads. Focus on other platforms such as Instagram and Facebook.

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Gen Z users are one of TikToks biggest audiences, making up around 60% of the platform's user base (Duarte, 2025).

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We are in an age where targeted advertising is one of the most popular techniques used by brands. TikTok should uphold transparency, consent and user privacy in how data is collected.

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In the last year, how has TikTok’s targeted advertising affected Australian Gen Z users' perceptions of privacy and trust in the platform?

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In the last year, how has TikTok’s targeted advertising affected Australian Gen Z users' perceptions of privacy and trust in the platform?

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Geography: Australia

Population: Gen Z – They are one of TikToks biggest audience

The medium: TikTok – TikTok has grown to become a dominant platform

The evironment: The age of targeted advertising being popular amongst brands

A time period: In the last year –  To reflect the most current experience and attitudes

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Zuboff (2011) “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power”

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Dogruel (2019) mentions that as a response to targeted advertising, users are beginning to distrust social media platforms with their information.

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Srnicek (2017) "Platform Capitalism"

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In-depth qualitative data about how Gen Z users perceive privacy and trust in response to targeted advertising.

Purposive sampling: Gen Z (aged 13-28) TikTok users in Australia

“Do you think advertisments you see on TikTok are personalised for you?”

“What are your thoughts about the privacy of your information on TikTok?”

Surveys may not capture the depth of personal experiences and feelings.

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Clarke & Braun (2017): Thematic analysis seeks to identify patterns in relation to participants' lived experiences, views, perspectives and behaviours.

Identify reacurring themes/ideas across interviews rather than simply summarising responses.

More suitable than content or frequency-based analysis as it allows deeper undertanding of experiences.

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Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2017). Thematic Analysis. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 12(3), 297-298. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2016.1262613.

Dogruel, L. (2019). Too much information!? Examining the impact of different levels of transparency on consumers’ evaluations of targeted advertising. Communication Research Reports, 36(5), 382-392. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824096.2019.1684253

Duarte, F. (2025, July 25). TikTok User Age, Gender, & Demographics (2025). Exploding Topics. https://explodingtopics.com/blog/tiktok-demographics

Sharma, S., & Ashfaq, R. (2023). Targeting the Digital Consumer: A Study of the Role of Social Media in Modern Advertising. Jornal of Humanities, Music and Dance, 3(4), 22-35. https://doi.org/10.55529/jhmd.34.22.35