TikTok is under fire for potentially overstepping its boundaries when it comes to user surveillance. It’s been reported that the app may be tracking individuals even if they haven’t signed up or used the platform.
According to tech writer Thomas Germain, this questionable practice includes TikTok gathering personal data from various websites. Everything from health conditions to mental wellness issues is allegedly collected, which feels a bit invasive, don’t you think? It’s as if TikTok has become a sort of digital detective, uncovering personal information without consent.
One user shared their experience, recounting how a click on a form indicated they were a cancer patient, which in turn sent their email and personal details to TikTok. Germain suggested that a healthcare site’s analysis of infertility tests might have led to the data being transmitted to TikTok.
This revelation comes in the wake of TikTok’s change in ownership to a group including Larry Ellison’s Oracle, a private equity firm, and an investment firm from the UAE. This transition was partly orchestrated by former President Trump to keep the app operational in the U.S.
Concerns regarding TikTok’s cybersecurity implications have been raised by both the Biden and Trump administrations, mainly due to its former Chinese parent company, ByteDance, which still has a minority stake in TikTok.
Interestingly, under this new management, TikTok has started collecting users’ GPS data, adding another layer to its surveillance capabilities. Some might argue this creates a greater risk than before. Fast Company pointed out that TikTok’s use of tracking technology, including pixels on various websites, allows it to optimize targeted advertising, which raises further concerns.
The new advertising framework includes a revised pixel system that can track user behavior beyond TikTok, which has been deemed quite intrusive. Patrick Johnson, CTO of Disconnect, indicated that this tracking collects data in unexpected ways.
Moreover, TikTok can now inform advertisers if their campaigns lead to sales, providing a broader landscape of user data. This expanded tracking can glean information sent to Google from other websites even when users haven’t consented, increasing exposure to digital threats.
Peter Dolanjski from DuckDuckGo pointed out that such data could be manipulated to exploit users in various ways, whether it’s pushing for purchases, influencing political views, or even engaging in price discrimination.
Also noteworthy is that the app now tracks GPS locations of users with Location Services turned on—this was not as prevalent during the ByteDance era.
TikTok responded to these allegations, asserting that it’s clear about its data collection methods and claims that pixel tracking is an accepted industry practice used by many platforms, including the BBC. They also mentioned available privacy tools for users.
If you’re looking to enhance your privacy, Germain suggests switching from Google Chrome to a more secure browser like DuckDuckGo or Brave, along with installing a tracker blocker like Privacy Badger.
IPhone users can restrict TikTok’s access to location data by navigating to Settings, then to TikTok in the Apps section, and selecting “None” for location access. Additionally, utilizing iOS’ App Tracking Transparency feature could further prevent TikTok from observing user activities on other platforms.
