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I've avoided downloading TikTok due to security concerns and its ties to the People's Republic of China. Are these concerns valid? I remember reading articles t

I've avoided downloading TikTok due to security concerns and its ties to the People's Republic of China. Are these concerns valid? I remember reading articles that claimed it was stealing data from people's phones and spying.

galacticaactual 4y ago
Yes.
- replwoacause 4y ago
  Interesting, and despite these concerns about privacy and security, many high-profile people including celebrities are using TikTok. It's likely they have dedicated devices for social media rather than installing TikTok onto their primary devices but it still amazes me how many people, including important ones, have ignored these warnings. Last I heard TikTok has 1 billion monthly users.
  - 6r8346474 4y ago
    Lots of people also just don't care about either China or the data privacy concerns because they're not data private people nor data privacy activists. I don't think it really has to do with having the luxury of a second device so much as the issue not actually being an issue to most people.
    - qzx_pierri 4y ago
      It’s the only app/service that makes people smile non-stop. It’s endless videos of cool stuff, comedy, cat videos, tech tidbits, cooking videos, etc. I’ve deleted all other social media accounts because browsing Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter made me feel like shit. TikTok doesn’t make me feel that way, and it’s that simple. This is the same reason why a ton of people are dialing back their Instagram usage or creating “finsta” accounts - Who wants to feel insecure constantly? Same goes with Facebook. There’s the argument “Well you’re not using those service correctly. I use FB/IG/Twitter and I’m fine. Follow these steps on how to avoid toxicity on your FB feed…” (articles like this used to be posted to HN constantly). But the thing is… why should we have to do that? TikTok shows me content that makes me smile BY DEFAULT. I am not being milked for engagement using my fight or flight response like Meta’s lolcow. If other apps weren’t so toxic (by design), then people wouldn’t be nervous when posting on IG, or avoiding Facebook because of the cancer comment sections and ranking systems/algorithms designed to make you angry.
      - spacephysics 4y ago
        If you reread this and replace TikTok with Soma, it’s eerie. To me, TikTok just found the proper levers to hit psychologically to keep people’s attention. I jokingly think, all the creators of each social media app are in a makeshift lab, and one say “wait… if we make them happy, they stay longer!” Then another one goes “Drats! I thought jealously and conflict was the key!” I predict in the next 5 years we’ll be banning/have a campaign against people under 18 (or maybe 16) from even using these apps, and even go so far as to say anyone spending more than X time on them per day/week, should seek help. (With X being a relatively small number compared to the norm) Just remember, not too long ago we thought: Cigarettes are a great way to lose weight! Even my doctor recommends them.
        HWR_14 4y ago
        5 years is too far out. Utah already passed a law that people have to be 18 to use social media.
brazzledazzle 4y ago
Anecdotal but my daughter had tiktok before the ios update that showed when apps were listening and right after the update we caught tiktok listening when she wasn’t recording any videos. I almost couldn’t believe how brazen they were considering the ios change was well documented and reported on.
- replwoacause 4y ago
  Yeah, that reminds me of the reporting I saw back when it was snooping on clipboard data: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=tiktok+clipboard+snooping&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=tiktok+...
- g8oz 4y ago
  How did you catch it listening?
  - alephxyz 4y ago
    iOS will display an orange/green indicator in the status bar that you can press on to see which apps are currently using your microphone/camera.
    - frozencell 4y ago
      Why not disabling the app's use of microphone, camera and files in the settings?
      - IshKebab 4y ago
        They weren't asking for a solution.
      - HWR_14 4y ago
        Because his daughter was recording videos (probably with audio) at other points in time. It's like if Zoom was found to be always recording audio.
x3iv130f 4y ago
The question isn't "if" they're spying. Every smartphone and nearly app you install is constantly spying on you and using your data for their benefit. The question is, do you trust the PRC with your data? Personally, I avoid most social media sites since I want to reduce the amount of information about me floating around in databases.
insane_dreamer 4y ago
> Are these concerns valid? The PRC has the world's most advanced and far-reaching data mining and censorship apparatus to tightly (and quite effectively) control the flow of information to its citizens. Does that sound like the type of organization you would entrust your data to? Bytedance is beholden to the PRC, and while TikTok data may (or may not) be monitored, the Chinese version of it is subject to the same monitoring and censorship gates as any other social media app in China.

galacticaactual 4y ago

Yes.

replwoacause 4y ago
Interesting, and despite these concerns about privacy and security, many high-profile people including celebrities are using TikTok. It's likely they have dedicated devices for social media rather than installing TikTok onto their primary devices but it still amazes me how many people, including important ones, have ignored these warnings. Last I heard TikTok has 1 billion monthly users.
- 6r8346474 4y ago
  Lots of people also just don't care about either China or the data privacy concerns because they're not data private people nor data privacy activists. I don't think it really has to do with having the luxury of a second device so much as the issue not actually being an issue to most people.
  - qzx_pierri 4y ago
    It’s the only app/service that makes people smile non-stop. It’s endless videos of cool stuff, comedy, cat videos, tech tidbits, cooking videos, etc. I’ve deleted all other social media accounts because browsing Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter made me feel like shit. TikTok doesn’t make me feel that way, and it’s that simple. This is the same reason why a ton of people are dialing back their Instagram usage or creating “finsta” accounts - Who wants to feel insecure constantly? Same goes with Facebook. There’s the argument “Well you’re not using those service correctly. I use FB/IG/Twitter and I’m fine. Follow these steps on how to avoid toxicity on your FB feed…” (articles like this used to be posted to HN constantly). But the thing is… why should we have to do that? TikTok shows me content that makes me smile BY DEFAULT. I am not being milked for engagement using my fight or flight response like Meta’s lolcow. If other apps weren’t so toxic (by design), then people wouldn’t be nervous when posting on IG, or avoiding Facebook because of the cancer comment sections and ranking systems/algorithms designed to make you angry.
    - spacephysics 4y ago
      If you reread this and replace TikTok with Soma, it’s eerie. To me, TikTok just found the proper levers to hit psychologically to keep people’s attention. I jokingly think, all the creators of each social media app are in a makeshift lab, and one say “wait… if we make them happy, they stay longer!” Then another one goes “Drats! I thought jealously and conflict was the key!” I predict in the next 5 years we’ll be banning/have a campaign against people under 18 (or maybe 16) from even using these apps, and even go so far as to say anyone spending more than X time on them per day/week, should seek help. (With X being a relatively small number compared to the norm) Just remember, not too long ago we thought: Cigarettes are a great way to lose weight! Even my doctor recommends them.
      - HWR_14 4y ago
        5 years is too far out. Utah already passed a law that people have to be 18 to use social media.

brazzledazzle 4y ago

Anecdotal but my daughter had tiktok before the ios update that showed when apps were listening and right after the update we caught tiktok listening when she wasn’t recording any videos. I almost couldn’t believe how brazen they were considering the ios change was well documented and reported on.

replwoacause 4y ago
Yeah, that reminds me of the reporting I saw back when it was snooping on clipboard data: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=tiktok+clipboard+snooping&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=tiktok+...
g8oz 4y ago
How did you catch it listening?
- alephxyz 4y ago
  iOS will display an orange/green indicator in the status bar that you can press on to see which apps are currently using your microphone/camera.
  - frozencell 4y ago
    Why not disabling the app's use of microphone, camera and files in the settings?
    - IshKebab 4y ago
      They weren't asking for a solution.
    - HWR_14 4y ago
      Because his daughter was recording videos (probably with audio) at other points in time. It's like if Zoom was found to be always recording audio.

x3iv130f 4y ago

The question isn't "if" they're spying. Every smartphone and nearly app you install is constantly spying on you and using your data for their benefit. The question is, do you trust the PRC with your data? Personally, I avoid most social media sites since I want to reduce the amount of information about me floating around in databases.

insane_dreamer 4y ago

> Are these concerns valid? The PRC has the world's most advanced and far-reaching data mining and censorship apparatus to tightly (and quite effectively) control the flow of information to its citizens. Does that sound like the type of organization you would entrust your data to? Bytedance is beholden to the PRC, and while TikTok data may (or may not) be monitored, the Chinese version of it is subject to the same monitoring and censorship gates as any other social media app in China.