feat(tiktok): add tiktok.user_search verb for account discovery

Video/general search is login-walled for anonymous sessions, but the Users
tab (/api/search/user) returns public account records without a redirect, so
this exposes the one reliably-unblocked search path. A keyword yields
TikTokProfileItems (name, followers, bio, verification), deduped per query,
capped, and degraded to an ErrorItem when a query is empty/withheld.

Reuses the browser capture (generalized over XHR markers + extractor) and the
shared profile item shape. Billed per account on a new TIKTOK_USER meter
(TIKTOK_MICROS_PER_USER), surfaced on the chat subagent alongside tiktok.scrape.

surfsense_backend/.env.example

@@ -286,6 +286,8 @@ MICROS_PER_PAGE=1000
 # GOOGLE_MAPS_MICROS_PER_REVIEW=1500
 # YOUTUBE_MICROS_PER_VIDEO=2500
 # YOUTUBE_MICROS_PER_COMMENT=1500
+# TIKTOK_MICROS_PER_VIDEO=3500
+# TIKTOK_MICROS_PER_USER=2500
 
 # Low-balance warning threshold (micro-USD), surfaced to the UI. Default $0.50.
 CREDIT_LOW_BALANCE_WARNING_MICROS=500000

surfsense_backend/app/agents/chat/multi_agent_chat/subagents/builtins/tiktok/tools/index.py

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""``tiktok`` sub-agent tools: the TikTok scrape capability verb."""
+"""``tiktok`` sub-agent tools: the TikTok scrape and user-search capability verbs."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
@@ -9,12 +9,13 @@ from langchain_core.tools import BaseTool
 from app.agents.chat.multi_agent_chat.shared.permissions import Ruleset
 from app.capabilities.core.access.agent import build_capability_tools
 from app.capabilities.tiktok.scrape.definition import TIKTOK_SCRAPE
+from app.capabilities.tiktok.user_search.definition import TIKTOK_USER_SEARCH
 
 NAME = "tiktok"
 
 RULESET = Ruleset(origin=NAME, rules=[])
 
-_CI_VERBS = [TIKTOK_SCRAPE]
+_CI_VERBS = [TIKTOK_SCRAPE, TIKTOK_USER_SEARCH]
 
 
 def load_tools(

surfsense_backend/app/capabilities/core/billing.py

@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ _PLATFORM_RATE_KEYS: dict[BillingUnit, str] = {
     BillingUnit.YOUTUBE_VIDEO: "YOUTUBE_MICROS_PER_VIDEO",
     BillingUnit.YOUTUBE_COMMENT: "YOUTUBE_MICROS_PER_COMMENT",
     BillingUnit.TIKTOK_VIDEO: "TIKTOK_MICROS_PER_VIDEO",
+    BillingUnit.TIKTOK_USER: "TIKTOK_MICROS_PER_USER",
 }
 
 
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ _UNIT_NOUNS: dict[BillingUnit, str] = {
     BillingUnit.YOUTUBE_VIDEO: "video",
     BillingUnit.YOUTUBE_COMMENT: "comment",
     BillingUnit.TIKTOK_VIDEO: "video",
+    BillingUnit.TIKTOK_USER: "profile",
 }
 
 

surfsense_backend/app/capabilities/core/types.py

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ class BillingUnit(StrEnum):
     YOUTUBE_VIDEO = "youtube_video"
     YOUTUBE_COMMENT = "youtube_comment"
     TIKTOK_VIDEO = "tiktok_video"
+    TIKTOK_USER = "tiktok_user"
 
 
 class BillableInput(Protocol):

surfsense_backend/app/capabilities/tiktok/__init__.py

@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 from app.capabilities.tiktok.scrape import definition as _scrape  # noqa: F401
+from app.capabilities.tiktok.user_search import definition as _user_search  # noqa: F401

surfsense_backend/app/capabilities/tiktok/user_search/__init__.py

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+"""``tiktok.user_search``: find public TikTok accounts by keyword."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations

surfsense_backend/app/capabilities/tiktok/user_search/definition.py

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+"""``tiktok.user_search`` capability registration (billed per account; see config
+``TIKTOK_MICROS_PER_USER``)."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from app.capabilities.core import BillingUnit, Capability, register_capability
+from app.capabilities.tiktok.user_search.executor import build_user_search_executor
+from app.capabilities.tiktok.user_search.schemas import (
+    UserSearchInput,
+    UserSearchOutput,
+)
+
+TIKTOK_USER_SEARCH = Capability(
+    name="tiktok.user_search",
+    description=(
+        "Find public TikTok accounts by keyword. Returns profile metadata "
+        "(name, followers, bio, verification) per matching account."
+    ),
+    input_schema=UserSearchInput,
+    output_schema=UserSearchOutput,
+    executor=build_user_search_executor(),
+    billing_unit=BillingUnit.TIKTOK_USER,
+    docs_url="/docs/connectors/native/tiktok",
+)
+
+register_capability(TIKTOK_USER_SEARCH)

surfsense_backend/app/capabilities/tiktok/user_search/executor.py

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+"""``tiktok.user_search`` executor: queries -> scraper -> TikTok profile items."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from collections.abc import Awaitable, Callable
+
+from app.capabilities.core import Executor
+from app.capabilities.core.progress import emit_progress
+from app.capabilities.tiktok.user_search.schemas import (
+    UserSearchInput,
+    UserSearchOutput,
+)
+from app.proprietary.platforms.tiktok import search_tiktok_users
+
+SearchFn = Callable[..., Awaitable[list[dict]]]
+
+
+def build_user_search_executor(search_fn: SearchFn | None = None) -> Executor:
+    """Bind the executor to a search fn (defaults to the proprietary actor)."""
+    search_fn = search_fn or search_tiktok_users
+
+    async def execute(payload: UserSearchInput) -> UserSearchOutput:
+        emit_progress(
+            "starting",
+            "Searching TikTok accounts",
+            total=payload.max_items,
+            unit="item",
+        )
+        items = await search_fn(
+            payload.queries,
+            per_query=payload.results_per_query,
+            limit=payload.max_items,
+        )
+        emit_progress(
+            "done", f"Found {len(items)} account(s)", current=len(items), unit="item"
+        )
+        return UserSearchOutput(items=items)
+
+    return execute

surfsense_backend/app/capabilities/tiktok/user_search/schemas.py

@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+"""``tiktok.user_search`` I/O contracts.
+
+Account discovery over ``TikTok``'s Users tab. Where video/general search is
+login-walled for anonymous sessions, ``/api/search/user`` returns public account
+records, so this verb exposes the one reliably-unblocked search path. Each result
+is a :class:`TikTokProfileItem` (the same shape the profile verb emits).
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
+
+from app.capabilities.tiktok.scrape.schemas import (
+    MAX_TIKTOK_ITEMS,
+    MAX_TIKTOK_SOURCES,
+)
+from app.proprietary.platforms.tiktok import TikTokProfileItem
+
+
+class UserSearchInput(BaseModel):
+    queries: list[str] = Field(
+        min_length=1,
+        max_length=MAX_TIKTOK_SOURCES,
+        description="Keywords to search for TikTok accounts (e.g. names, brands).",
+    )
+    results_per_query: int = Field(
+        default=10,
+        ge=1,
+        le=MAX_TIKTOK_ITEMS,
+        description="Max accounts to return per query.",
+    )
+    max_items: int = Field(
+        default=10,
+        ge=1,
+        le=MAX_TIKTOK_ITEMS,
+        description="Max total accounts to return across all queries.",
+    )
+
+    @property
+    def estimated_units(self) -> int:
+        """Worst-case billable accounts for the pre-flight gate: ``max_items`` is a
+        hard cross-query ceiling (le=100), so no call can exceed it."""
+        return self.max_items
+
+
+class UserSearchOutput(BaseModel):
+    items: list[TikTokProfileItem] = Field(
+        default_factory=list,
+        description="One item per account found, in emission order.",
+    )
+
+    @property
+    def billable_units(self) -> int:
+        """One returned account = one billable unit; ErrorItems (``errorCode`` set,
+        for empty/withheld queries) are surfaced but never charged."""
+        return sum(1 for item in self.items if not getattr(item, "errorCode", None))

surfsense_backend/app/config/__init__.py

@@ -717,6 +717,9 @@ class Config:
     # Browser-driven listings make TikTok heavier per item than the API-backed
     # video meter, so it sits a touch above YouTube's video rate.
     TIKTOK_MICROS_PER_VIDEO = int(os.getenv("TIKTOK_MICROS_PER_VIDEO", "3500"))
+    # User search returns lighter account records (name/followers/bio), priced
+    # below the video meter to mirror the cheaper account-discovery market.
+    TIKTOK_MICROS_PER_USER = int(os.getenv("TIKTOK_MICROS_PER_USER", "2500"))
 
     # Low-balance WARNING threshold (micro-USD). Surfaced by the quota service
     # so the UI can nudge the user to top up / enable auto-reload. $0.50.

surfsense_backend/app/proprietary/platforms/tiktok/__init__.py

@@ -6,14 +6,16 @@ schema, the collector/generator, the video item shape, and the hard-block error.
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from .orchestrator import iter_tiktok, scrape_tiktok
-from .schemas import TikTokScrapeInput, TikTokVideoItem
+from .orchestrator import iter_tiktok, scrape_tiktok, search_tiktok_users
+from .schemas import TikTokProfileItem, TikTokScrapeInput, TikTokVideoItem
 from .session import TikTokAccessBlockedError
 
 __all__ = [
     "TikTokAccessBlockedError",
+    "TikTokProfileItem",
     "TikTokScrapeInput",
     "TikTokVideoItem",
     "iter_tiktok",
     "scrape_tiktok",
+    "search_tiktok_users",
 ]

surfsense_backend/app/proprietary/platforms/tiktok/extraction/__init__.py

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from .author import parse_author, parse_profile
 from .hydration import extract_rehydration_data
 from .item_list import items_from_response
 from .scopes import user_info, video_item_struct
+from .user_search import parse_search_user, users_from_response
 from .video import parse_video
 
 __all__ = [
@@ -13,7 +14,9 @@ __all__ = [
     "items_from_response",
     "parse_author",
     "parse_profile",
+    "parse_search_user",
     "parse_video",
     "user_info",
+    "users_from_response",
     "video_item_struct",
 ]

surfsense_backend/app/proprietary/platforms/tiktok/extraction/user_search.py

@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+"""Parse the ``/api/search/user`` response into profile items.
+
+User search returns ``{"user_list": [{"user_info": {...}}, ...]}`` where each
+``user_info`` uses the mobile-API snake_case shape (``uid``, ``unique_id``,
+``follower_count``, ``total_favorited``, ``avatar_thumb.url_list``) — distinct
+from the camelCase ``webapp.user-detail`` blob the profile flow reads, so it gets
+its own mapping into the shared :class:`TikTokProfileItem` output contract.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from typing import Any
+
+_PROFILE_URL = "https://www.tiktok.com/@{username}"
+
+
+def users_from_response(body: Any) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+    """Return the ``user_info`` objects carried by one search response, or ``[]``."""
+    if not isinstance(body, dict):
+        return []
+    user_list = body.get("user_list")
+    if not isinstance(user_list, list):
+        return []
+    return [
+        entry["user_info"]
+        for entry in user_list
+        if isinstance(entry, dict) and isinstance(entry.get("user_info"), dict)
+    ]
+
+
+def _avatar(user_info: dict[str, Any]) -> str | None:
+    thumb = user_info.get("avatar_thumb")
+    if isinstance(thumb, dict):
+        urls = thumb.get("url_list")
+        if isinstance(urls, list) and urls:
+            return urls[0]
+    return None
+
+
+def parse_search_user(user_info: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Map a search ``user_info`` to a :class:`TikTokProfileItem` output dict."""
+    from ..schemas.items import TikTokProfileItem
+
+    username = user_info.get("unique_id")
+    return TikTokProfileItem(
+        id=user_info.get("uid"),
+        name=username,
+        nickName=user_info.get("nickname"),
+        profileUrl=_PROFILE_URL.format(username=username) if username else None,
+        verified=bool(user_info.get("enterprise_verify_reason")),
+        signature=user_info.get("signature"),
+        avatar=_avatar(user_info),
+        fans=user_info.get("follower_count"),
+        heart=user_info.get("total_favorited"),
+        secUid=user_info.get("sec_uid"),
+    ).to_output()

surfsense_backend/app/proprietary/platforms/tiktok/flows/__init__.py

@@ -10,4 +10,7 @@ FetchFn = Callable[[str], Awaitable[str | None]]
 FetchListingFn = Callable[[str, int], Awaitable[list[dict]]]
 """Load a listing page and return up to ``count`` captured itemStructs."""
 
+FetchUsersFn = Callable[[str, int], Awaitable[list[dict]]]
+"""Load a user-search page and return up to ``count`` captured ``user_info`` records."""
+
 FlowResult = AsyncIterator[dict]

surfsense_backend/app/proprietary/platforms/tiktok/flows/user_search.py

@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+"""User-search flow: keyword -> public account records.
+
+Unlike video/general search (login-walled for anonymous sessions), the Users tab
+hits ``/api/search/user`` and returns account records without a redirect. Each
+query's results are deduped by uid, capped, and — when a query returns nothing —
+degraded to one ErrorItem, mirroring the listing flow.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from collections.abc import AsyncIterator
+from typing import Any
+from urllib.parse import quote
+
+from ..extraction import parse_search_user
+from ..extraction.timestamps import now_iso
+from ..schemas import ErrorItem
+from . import FetchUsersFn
+
+_USER_SEARCH_URL = "https://www.tiktok.com/search/user?q={query}"
+_EMPTY_MESSAGE = (
+    "No accounts returned for this query. It may have no matches, or TikTok "
+    "withheld the results from anonymous access."
+)
+
+
+async def iter_user_search(
+    query: str, *, cap: int, fetch_users: FetchUsersFn
+) -> AsyncIterator[dict[str, Any]]:
+    if cap <= 0:
+        return
+    url = _USER_SEARCH_URL.format(query=quote(query))
+    seen: set[str] = set()
+    emitted = 0
+    for user_info in await fetch_users(url, cap):
+        out = parse_search_user(user_info)
+        uid = out.get("id")
+        if uid is not None:
+            if uid in seen:
+                continue
+            seen.add(uid)
+        out["scrapedAt"] = now_iso()
+        yield out
+        emitted += 1
+        if emitted >= cap:
+            return
+    if emitted == 0:
+        yield ErrorItem(
+            url=url,
+            input=query,
+            error=_EMPTY_MESSAGE,
+            errorCode="no_users",
+            scrapedAt=now_iso(),
+        ).to_output()

surfsense_backend/app/proprietary/platforms/tiktok/orchestrator.py

@@ -12,12 +12,13 @@ from collections.abc import AsyncIterator
 from typing import Any
 from urllib.parse import quote
 
-from .flows import FetchFn, FetchListingFn
+from .flows import FetchFn, FetchListingFn, FetchUsersFn
 from .flows.listing import iter_listing
 from .flows.profile import iter_profile
+from .flows.user_search import iter_user_search
 from .flows.video import iter_video
 from .schemas import TikTokScrapeInput
-from .session import fetch_html, fetch_item_list
+from .session import fetch_html, fetch_item_list, fetch_user_search
 from .targets import resolve_target
 from .targets.types import TikTokTarget
 
@@ -100,3 +101,25 @@ async def scrape_tiktok(
         if limit is not None and len(results) >= limit:
             break
     return results
+
+
+async def search_tiktok_users(
+    queries: list[str],
+    *,
+    per_query: int,
+    limit: int | None = None,
+    fetch_users: FetchUsersFn = fetch_user_search,
+) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+    """Collect user-search account records across queries, honoring ``limit``."""
+    from app.capabilities.core.progress import emit_progress
+
+    results: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+    for query in queries:
+        async for item in iter_user_search(
+            query, cap=per_query, fetch_users=fetch_users
+        ):
+            results.append(item)
+            emit_progress("searching", current=len(results), total=limit, unit="item")
+            if limit is not None and len(results) >= limit:
+                return results
+    return results

surfsense_backend/app/proprietary/platforms/tiktok/session/__init__.py

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 from .client import fetch_html
 from .errors import TikTokAccessBlockedError
-from .listing import fetch_item_list
+from .listing import fetch_item_list, fetch_user_search
 from .proxy import bind_proxy_holder, open_proxy_holder, proxy_session
 
 __all__ = [
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ __all__ = [
     "bind_proxy_holder",
     "fetch_html",
     "fetch_item_list",
+    "fetch_user_search",
     "open_proxy_holder",
     "proxy_session",
 ]

surfsense_backend/app/proprietary/platforms/tiktok/session/listing.py

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 import asyncio
 import logging
+from collections.abc import Callable
 from typing import Any
 
 from scrapling.fetchers import StealthyFetcher
@@ -29,16 +30,20 @@ from app.proprietary.web_crawler.stealth import (
 )
 from app.utils.proxy import get_proxy_url
 
-from ..extraction import items_from_response
+from ..extraction import items_from_response, users_from_response
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+ExtractFn = Callable[[Any], list[dict[str, Any]]]
+
 # XHR paths that carry itemStructs for the three listing kinds.
 _ITEM_LIST_MARKERS = (
     "/api/post/item_list",
     "/api/challenge/item_list",
     "/api/search/",
 )
+# The user-search XHR carries account records (user_list), not itemStructs.
+_USER_SEARCH_MARKERS = ("/api/search/user",)
 _HOME_URL = "https://www.tiktok.com/"
 _MSTOKEN_COOKIE = "msToken"
 # Bounded scroll: a dead page can't loop forever, and a live one stops early
@@ -57,24 +62,31 @@ def _has_mstoken(page: Any) -> bool:
         return False
 
 
-def _build_page_action(collected: list[dict[str, Any]], url: str, target_count: int):
-    """A sync ``page_action`` that warms the session then captures item_list XHRs.
+def _build_page_action(
+    collected: list[dict[str, Any]],
+    url: str,
+    target_count: int,
+    markers: tuple[str, ...],
+    extract: ExtractFn,
+):
+    """A sync ``page_action`` that warms the session then captures matching XHRs.
 
-    A cold context returns an empty ``item_list`` body, so we first mint the
-    anonymous ``msToken`` (homepage hit), then navigate to the target with the
-    listener already attached so page-one fires into it; scrolling pages the rest.
+    A cold context returns an empty body, so we first mint the anonymous
+    ``msToken`` (homepage hit), then navigate to the target with the listener
+    already attached so page-one fires into it; scrolling pages the rest.
+    ``markers``/``extract`` select which XHRs to keep and how to unwrap them.
     """
 
     def _on_response(response: Any) -> None:
         response_url = getattr(response, "url", "")
-        if not any(marker in response_url for marker in _ITEM_LIST_MARKERS):
+        if not any(marker in response_url for marker in markers):
             return
         try:
             body = response.json()
         except Exception:
             # An empty 200 (TikTok soft-block) or a body evicted before read.
             return
-        collected.extend(items_from_response(body))
+        collected.extend(extract(body))
 
     def _warm(page: Any) -> None:
         if _has_mstoken(page):
@@ -110,7 +122,9 @@ def _build_page_action(collected: list[dict[str, Any]], url: str, target_count:
     return page_action
 
 
-def _fetch_sync(url: str, target_count: int) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+def _fetch_sync(
+    url: str, target_count: int, markers: tuple[str, ...], extract: ExtractFn
+) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
     collected: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
     kwargs = build_stealthy_kwargs(get_stealth_config())
     StealthyFetcher.fetch(
@@ -118,7 +132,9 @@ def _fetch_sync(url: str, target_count: int) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
         headless=True,
         network_idle=False,
         proxy=get_proxy_url(),
-        page_action=_build_page_action(collected, url, target_count),
+        page_action=_build_page_action(
+            collected, url, target_count, markers, extract
+        ),
         **kwargs,
     )
     return collected[:target_count]
@@ -126,4 +142,13 @@ def _fetch_sync(url: str, target_count: int) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
 
 async def fetch_item_list(page_url: str, target_count: int) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
     """Return up to ``target_count`` itemStructs from a listing page's XHRs."""
-    return await asyncio.to_thread(_fetch_sync, page_url, target_count)
+    return await asyncio.to_thread(
+        _fetch_sync, page_url, target_count, _ITEM_LIST_MARKERS, items_from_response
+    )
+
+
+async def fetch_user_search(page_url: str, target_count: int) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+    """Return up to ``target_count`` ``user_info`` records from a user-search page."""
+    return await asyncio.to_thread(
+        _fetch_sync, page_url, target_count, _USER_SEARCH_MARKERS, users_from_response
+    )

surfsense_backend/tests/unit/capabilities/tiktok/test_registry.py

@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ from app.capabilities import (
 from app.capabilities.core import BillingUnit
 from app.capabilities.core.store import get_capability
 from app.capabilities.tiktok.scrape.schemas import ScrapeInput, ScrapeOutput
+from app.capabilities.tiktok.user_search.schemas import (
+    UserSearchInput,
+    UserSearchOutput,
+)
 
 pytestmark = pytest.mark.unit
 
@@ -21,3 +25,12 @@ def test_tiktok_scrape_is_registered_and_billed_per_video():
     assert cap.input_schema is ScrapeInput
     assert cap.output_schema is ScrapeOutput
     assert cap.billing_unit is BillingUnit.TIKTOK_VIDEO
+
+
+def test_tiktok_user_search_is_registered_and_billed_per_profile():
+    cap = get_capability("tiktok.user_search")
+
+    assert cap.name == "tiktok.user_search"
+    assert cap.input_schema is UserSearchInput
+    assert cap.output_schema is UserSearchOutput
+    assert cap.billing_unit is BillingUnit.TIKTOK_USER

surfsense_backend/tests/unit/capabilities/tiktok/user_search/test_executor.py

@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+"""``tiktok.user_search`` executor: verb input → search args → typed profile items.
+
+Boundary mocked: the proprietary search actor (injected fake). NOT mocked: the
+verb's own payload→args forwarding and the dict→TikTokProfileItem wrapping.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import pytest
+
+from app.capabilities.tiktok.user_search.executor import build_user_search_executor
+from app.capabilities.tiktok.user_search.schemas import (
+    UserSearchInput,
+    UserSearchOutput,
+)
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.unit
+
+
+class _FakeSearch:
+    """Records the queries + kwargs it was called with; returns canned items."""
+
+    def __init__(self, items: list[dict]):
+        self._items = items
+        self.calls: list[tuple[list[str], int, int | None]] = []
+
+    async def __call__(
+        self, queries: list[str], *, per_query: int, limit: int | None = None
+    ) -> list[dict]:
+        self.calls.append((queries, per_query, limit))
+        return self._items
+
+
+async def test_forwards_queries_and_limits_and_wraps_items():
+    search = _FakeSearch([{"id": "1", "name": "nasa"}])
+    execute = build_user_search_executor(search_fn=search)
+
+    out = await execute(
+        UserSearchInput(queries=["nasa"], results_per_query=7, max_items=25)
+    )
+
+    assert isinstance(out, UserSearchOutput)
+    assert len(out.items) == 1
+    assert out.items[0].name == "nasa"
+
+    (queries, per_query, limit) = search.calls[0]
+    assert queries == ["nasa"]
+    assert per_query == 7
+    assert limit == 25

surfsense_backend/tests/unit/capabilities/tiktok/user_search/test_schemas.py

@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+"""``tiktok.user_search`` input guards and billing: a query is required, bounded,
+and ErrorItems are surfaced free."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import pytest
+from pydantic import ValidationError
+
+from app.capabilities.tiktok.scrape.schemas import MAX_TIKTOK_ITEMS, MAX_TIKTOK_SOURCES
+from app.capabilities.tiktok.user_search.schemas import (
+    UserSearchInput,
+    UserSearchOutput,
+)
+
+pytestmark = pytest.mark.unit
+
+
+def test_rejects_input_with_no_query():
+    with pytest.raises(ValidationError):
+        UserSearchInput(queries=[])
+
+
+def test_defaults_and_bounds():
+    payload = UserSearchInput(queries=["nasa"])
+    assert payload.max_items == 10
+    assert payload.results_per_query == 10
+    assert payload.estimated_units == 10
+    with pytest.raises(ValidationError):
+        UserSearchInput(queries=["nasa"], max_items=0)
+    with pytest.raises(ValidationError):
+        UserSearchInput(queries=["nasa"], max_items=MAX_TIKTOK_ITEMS + 1)
+
+
+def test_rejects_more_queries_than_the_cap():
+    too_many = [f"q{i}" for i in range(MAX_TIKTOK_SOURCES + 1)]
+    with pytest.raises(ValidationError):
+        UserSearchInput(queries=too_many)
+
+
+def test_error_items_are_not_billed():
+    # Real accounts count; ErrorItems (empty/withheld queries) are surfaced free.
+    out = UserSearchOutput(
+        items=[
+            {"id": "1", "name": "nasa"},
+            {"errorCode": "no_users", "input": "ghost", "error": "empty"},
+        ]
+    )
+    assert len(out.items) == 2
+    assert out.billable_units == 1

surfsense_backend/tests/unit/platforms/tiktok/test_user_search.py

@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+"""User-search orchestration over a fake fetch (no network).
+
+Drives ``search_tiktok_users``: queries -> captured ``user_info`` -> profile items.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from typing import Any
+
+from app.proprietary.platforms.tiktok import search_tiktok_users
+
+
+def _user(uid: str, unique_id: str, followers: int = 10) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    return {
+        "uid": uid,
+        "unique_id": unique_id,
+        "nickname": unique_id.upper(),
+        "signature": "bio",
+        "follower_count": followers,
+        "total_favorited": 999,
+        "sec_uid": f"sec-{uid}",
+        "enterprise_verify_reason": "official" if uid == "1" else "",
+        "avatar_thumb": {"url_list": [f"https://cdn/{uid}.webp"]},
+    }
+
+
+async def test_user_search_parses_dedupes_and_caps():
+    async def fake_fetch(_url: str, _cap: int) -> list[dict]:
+        return [_user("1", "nasa"), _user("1", "nasa"), _user("2", "nasa2")]
+
+    items = await search_tiktok_users(
+        ["nasa"], per_query=2, fetch_users=fake_fetch
+    )
+
+    assert [i["id"] for i in items] == ["1", "2"]
+    first = items[0]
+    assert first["name"] == "nasa"
+    assert first["nickName"] == "NASA"
+    assert first["profileUrl"] == "https://www.tiktok.com/@nasa"
+    assert first["verified"] is True
+    assert first["fans"] == 10
+    assert first["avatar"] == "https://cdn/1.webp"
+    assert first["secUid"] == "sec-1"
+    assert first["scrapedAt"] is not None
+    assert items[1]["verified"] is False
+
+
+async def test_user_search_empty_query_emits_error_item():
+    async def fake_fetch(_url: str, _cap: int) -> list[dict]:
+        return []
+
+    items = await search_tiktok_users(
+        ["ghost"], per_query=5, fetch_users=fake_fetch
+    )
+
+    assert len(items) == 1
+    assert items[0]["errorCode"] == "no_users"
+    assert items[0]["input"] == "ghost"
+
+
+async def test_user_search_honors_limit_across_queries():
+    async def fake_fetch(_url: str, _cap: int) -> list[dict]:
+        return [_user("1", "a"), _user("2", "b")]
+
+    items = await search_tiktok_users(
+        ["q1", "q2"], per_query=5, limit=3, fetch_users=fake_fetch
+    )
+
+    # 2 from q1 + 1 from q2, then the cross-query limit stops it.
+    assert len(items) == 3