TikTok’s users are glued to the app, but some are unaware about the app’s serious recent changes, and how it’s affecting their privacy.
On January 22nd, TikTok went under U.S. ownership, being owned by 80% of U.S. based companies such as Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX, while the remaining 20% still belongs to the Chinese parent company: ByteDance. Larry Ellison is the founder, executive chairman, and Chief Technological Officer of Oracle, which takes up 15% out of the 80% of the U.S. companies. He is a Trump ally and remains involved in a company strategy that mainly regards AI and cloud computing growth.
On the same day that TikTok was bought by U.S companies, TikTok released an updated Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The policy states that the app will have new types of location tracking, including “device geolocation we may collect from you, with your permission.” TikTok will use information they have or will collect to show you ads outside of TikTok, but gives you the option to opt out. “By clicking below, you agree to the updates to our Terms of Service and confirm your privacy settings.” Though you are given the option to opt out of TikTok showing you ads outside of the app based on the information they have about you, you are unable to opt out of certain data collection within the app.
What is Geolocation?
In the official privacy policy, it’s said that they collect location information to help improve app experience and provide more relevant recommendations. People online have commented against the location information requirement that TikTok has added, it becoming one of the larger concerns they have about the new policy changes. Specifically, the problem is towards geolocation tracking, the process of identifying the location of an object or person using technology.
Following the voice of the concern, a TikTok official said, “TikTok doesn’t yet have the toggle to allow people to switch off their precise location data because the company hasn’t yet added that tracking functionality to the app.” These updated terms now give TikTok access to collect even more precise location data based on GPS, which can be accurate to within several meters. According to the policy, you’re meant to have the option to opt out of location tracking anytime, but the app has not been updated to turn off device tracking yet. Even if the precise location tracking is disabled, TikTok is still able to narrow down your general location through IP addresses.
“The change in location data is the most stark because the previous privacy policy has explicitly said that the current versions of the app do not collect precise GPS information.” said Caitriona Fritzgerald, deputy director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a public interest research center established in 1994 to protect privacy, freedom of expression, and democratic values in the information age. “Folks should be concerned about that. Your precise location data can be down to your address or even what floor you’re on in an apartment building.”
What Does TikTok Do with Your Information?
In addition to the location data, TikTok gathers sensitive information such as your racial/ethnic/national origin, religious beliefs, mental/physical health, sexual life/orientation, citizenship/immigration status, financial information, and government-issued identification. Though, since TikTok’s app was released, they’ve had access to comprehensive user data, minor location data, and behavioral tracking. With the Terms of Service being updated, people began to actually go in and read the ToS and Privacy Policy, pulling out information TikTok has been collecting, but no one was fully aware of.
TikTok states in its privacy policy that the information they collect is used to infer additional information about the user such as their age, gender, and interests. This is done by analyzing user behavior, like the videos they watch/content they interact with, device information, and location information.
Along with this information they collect about you, the content that you willingly put onto the app, is being fed towards their new AI system. With TikTok already being one of the most popular social media apps, it’s easy for AI to consume the content posted and make it become more “human.” Even if you may be fully against AI, simply wanting nothing to do with it, there’s not much of an option as to turning off “feeding AI,” it will gain knowledge regardless. That applies not only TikTok, but to any platform that may be using an AI feature.
Following up on usage of AI within the app, there are unspoken and spoken concerns about the app giving your information to I.C.E. They use a facial recognition app called Mobile Fortify, and U.S customs and Border protection signed a contract with Clearview AI which is a facial recognition company that has access to many peoples faces off the internet. With I.C.E. having access to facial recognition with the usage of AI, there’s concerns about making it easier for I.C.E. to find a person through the usage of AI and TikTok.
TikTok’s Hook on Users
As most know, since TikTok’s app has been released, it’s become increasingly popular. It’s an endless form of entertainment. It’s a fun app, but it did come with a few negative aspects, the main one being the difficulty of getting off the app. People have fallen down the rabbit hole of “doom scrolling”, spending hours upon hours scrolling through the app. Recently, there’s been plenty of reports about TikTok becoming an addiction, especially for the younger generations, spending an excessive amount of time that takes away from the valuable time of their users.
To sum it up: It’s not healthy. The ‘addiction’ with the app takes away from being able to do many other activities such as hobbies or schoolwork. TikTok is a major distraction, and that is often pushed aside by its users. The app is not only hard to get off of, but it’s where many teens’ social life lies. They meet people, entertain themselves, and communicate with one another through social media like TikTok.
“I scrolled up. I didn’t think it was that big of a deal,” said freshman Nyah Humphries. Some saw the new ToS and Policy Privacy when opening the app, and continued anyway, not aware of what they agreed to.
What can be done?
As a result of changes in the app and user concerns, people with the app have deleted the app. Others have spoken on switching their account to private or changing their account settings to limit data sharing. Very few have commented under posts, speaking on boycotting the app so they could change the policy, seeing it as a direct violation of privacy.
The majority of what’s come with TikTok’s new updates have increased worry on where and how their users’ sensitive personal information will be shared, especially now that the app is owned by mainly U.S. companies. It’s become weary on who may post themselves on the platform, along with what they post/say, or send through direct messaging through the app, should be done with caution. Whether it’s for the concern of AI using said information, or for the safety of a person from I.C.E.
The problem is, people can’t say for a fact that this is what’s happening. There’s no actual proof that I.C.E. will use TikTok to find someone, but it doesn’t mean it’s not a possibility. People should be heavily worried about the topic rather than brushing it off. It is a heavy invasion of privacy, and with the information that’s been pulled out, the app is becoming incredibly untrusted.
If you think of deleting the app, you should consider deleting your account or accounts beforehand as they can still collect your information since your account(s) are still within the app, meaning they are still signed with the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy contract.
