TikTok App
The TikTok mobile app enables users to create their short video which is usually accompanied by music in the background edited with a filter, slowed down, or sped up. They can incorporate their sound into the background music. With the creation of a music video with this app, users can select background music from different varieties of music genres, record a 15-second video, and edit with a filter. The video can be adjusted before uploading the content to share with other users on TikTok or other social media platforms. They also tend to lip-sync the short videos to popular songs. The app also comes with a ‘react’ feature which enables the users to integrate their reaction to a certain video in which this is positioned in a small window that can be moved around the screen. This ‘duet’ feature enables the users to record a video beside another video. If the users do not want to post the videos yet, they can post it in their ‘drafts’. The app enables the users to put their accounts in ‘private’ mode. When downloading the app in the first instance, the user’s account is set to default mode. The user can then change it to a private mode in their settings. There have been concerns about the privacy policy of this app. According to them, they stated that they collect IP addresses, usage information, keystroke patterns, unique device identifiers, location data, and a host of others.
Background
According to the New York Times, Amazon informed their employees via email that they had to uninstall the TikTok app from their phones particularly the device they use to access their work profile due to security risks. However, Amazon retracted the message in the email by stating that it was sent to these employees by mistake and these employees don’t have to uninstall the app. The data collection practices of TikTok have been scrutinized by US lawmakers. Although the app receives the same kind of data relevant to most apps, critics believe that TikTok is managed by a Chinese-based company and can’t be trusted. They are questioning the level of trust and whether the data can be transmitted to the Chinese government for their usage. In the earlier statement released, Amazon workers are permitted to make use of this app from their laptop browsers.
Response of TikTok
In their response, TikTok stated that they ensured that the privacy of their users is respected. They said that Amazon did not contact them before sending those emails, but they do understand their concern. Also, they revealed that they are open to dialogue to enable them to address any issues head-on and enable them to participate in their community.
According to a response to Sun by one of the TikTok spokespersons, they said that they are proud that multitudes of people turn to their app for connection, inspiration, and entertainment, and this includes many of their Amazon contractors and employees who are leading the battles against this ravaging pandemic.
The opinion of the US presidency
TikTok has received backlash in the US due to security reasons and this has been traced to the ownership. The US Secretary of State said in an interview with Fox News that the government is considering banning TikTok. He said that they are taking the matter seriously and are certainly considering this option. He said that they have worked on the issue for a very long period. In a warning issued to the users in the US by the Secretary of State, he said that US citizens should be careful about using the app to avoid any intrusion into their privacy and to avoid the transmission of this information to the Chinese Communist Party.
Actions are taken by governments over the world
Recently, this app was caught retrieving user clipboard information when running in the gadget’s background, which tends to expose passwords and other sensitive information. Due to this, this app is facing bans from different parts of the world over concerns that this app is spying on its users and at the same time transmits the data to the Communist party. For instance, the Australian government is under intense pressure to ban the app due to concerns that it poses a threat to national security. Indian is one the country to ban this app and other Chinese apps over fears that they constitute threats. There have been reports of these mass snooping and it was visible after the creation of a new beta iOS 14 feature that alerts users whenever an app tries to get into their clipboard. However, this app has since notified that the feature has been disabled. Researchers Tommy Mysk and Talal Haj Bakry claimed to detect 56 apps gaining access to the data from clipboards for no just reason.
Retraction by Amazon
According to Amazon, they said that the email emanating from them to its employees was sent mistakenly. The New York Times stated on Friday that the internal email said workers who didn’t remove the app by Friday would not be able to gain access to their Amazon work email. Nevertheless, Amazon later informed Reuters that the email was sent to workers in error and it hasn’t changed its policy on TikTok. This popular platform is managed by the Chinese tech firm ByteDance, raising questions over the security of this app. In a statement released by the app, they stated that user security ranks high among their priorities and it was fully dedicated to user privacy. The statement also revealed that although Amazon did not contact them before sending out the email, they welcome dialogue and are yet to understand their concerns.
Conclusion
Regardless of the statement issued by TikTok, the truth is that there is a huge concern about the privacy policy of this app owing to the data that is accessible by this app. This has made several countries to ban this app. Amazon recently sent an email to all its employees notifying them not to use this app. But, they later retracted the statement stating that it was done by error or mistake.
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