Is TikTok Safe to Use?
TikTok is a free content sharing app that lets you create, share, and watch videos right from your phone. TikTok was initially available as music in the United States but was rebranded when the two apps united in August 2018. With more than 100 million users, TikTok is an incredibly popular platform in other parts of the world. But is TikTok safe to use? Let’s find out.
How safe is TikTok?
Using any social network platform can be risky. It’s possible for kids to safely use the app under adult supervision (and a private account). Initially, when you create an account on TikTok, your account is public by default. This means anyone can see your videos, comment on your posts, and send you direct messages. Guardians should make sure to turn on all primary privacy settings for their kid’s accounts. This way, only a few people can interact with your videos or direct messages to you.
Privacy Concerns With TikTok Are Not Unique or New
According to cybersecurity experts, the data we share with TikTok is no separate than the data that we share with any other application. Whether it is TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, WeChat, Telegram, or any other social media platform. However, once you provide your personal information, it is out there. Whether the data is shared with a foreign government or if the data is compromised in a data breach, nothing that you publish to any social media platform can be considered safe.
Even if you delete the application and if the application has Chinese ground, the Chinese government can gather most of this information from the application about U.S. citizens and sell it on the dark web. If we look at the reports made by a group of cyber experts, they claim that TikTok’s parent company is based in China. The Chinese government can try to force not just only the parent company Byte Dance to supply user data, but also the subsidiary to give necessary information or data.
Should I be worried about Tik Tok Security?
Many people and organizations, including the government of the United States and companies like Wells Fargo, are anxious that TikTok’s parent company ByteDance (based in China) uses the application to spy on its users in other countries. Investigations made on TikTok reported that the application’s privacy policy and data collection practices are not any worse than other social media apps. The significant concerns about spying are probably blown out of proportion. However, the company does watch users of the app in China.
What from TikTok
After looking at all the reports and claims made by ByteDance, TikTok does not necessarily have a good record when it comes to security and privacy. If you look at the latest security concern, TikTok recently fixed a bug that allowed the application to access its user’s clipboards every three seconds. The bug can access the user’s clipboard without even opening TikTok. Also, the bug illegally stored the data of minors.
