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What Are the Real Security Concerns from TikTok?
What are the actual security concerns from TikTok? Is it just a free speech issue or an actual security threat?
Social media apps make it easy to connect with friends, discover content, and share your life. But do you know what you’re sharing in return? Apps like TikTok, RedNote, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) collect a lot of your personal information. Some of it might surprise you—and some of it might put your privacy at risk.
Here’s what you need to know about how these apps collect your information and how it could be used.
Top 10 Types of Sensitive Information at Risk
- Your Personal Details: Your name, email, phone number, birthday, and even your home address are often required when signing up.
- Your Location: Many apps track where you are, even when you’re not actively using them.
- What You Do Online: Apps monitor what videos you watch, posts you like, and links you click.
- Who You Talk To: Your contacts, messages, and followers are often collected to map your social circle.
- Your Device Information: Your phone’s IP address, model, and even battery status can be tracked.
- Photos and Videos: Anything you upload can be stored, analyzed, and even shared without you realizing it.
- Voice and Audio Data: Some apps can access your microphone to record audio or voice commands.
- Payment Details: If you make purchases, apps may collect credit card details and billing information.
- Biometric Data: Some apps, like those with face filters, might collect facial data or other biometric information.
- Browsing Habits: Apps may track what websites you visit, even outside the app.
What Makes TikTok and RedNote Risky?
Apps like TikTok and RedNote, owned by companies outside the U.S., have raised concerns for several reasons:
- Foreign Ownership: TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company. Some worry this could give foreign governments access to U.S. user data.
- Data Sharing: These apps might share your data across borders without clear rules about how it’s protected.
- Opaque Policies: TikTok and RedNote don’t always make it clear how your information is used or where it goes.
For example, TikTok tracks how you interact with videos, where you are, and what device you use. Critics worry this data could be accessed by foreign governments or sold to third parties without your knowledge.
How Do U.S. Apps Compare?
Apps like Facebook, Instagram, and X are based in the U.S. but still pose risks to your privacy:
- Advertising-Focused: Facebook and Instagram collect as much data as possible to sell ads. They know your interests, habits, and spending patterns.
- Frequent Data Breaches: Facebook has faced major breaches, including one that exposed the personal details of 500 million users.
- Third-Party Access: Many U.S. apps allow outside companies to access your data, which can lead to misuse.
The key difference is that U.S. apps operate under stricter privacy laws like California’s Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). However, these protections don’t eliminate all risks.
What Can You Do to Protect Your Privacy?
While you can’t stop these apps from collecting some data, you can take steps to protect yourself:
- Review App Permissions: Turn off location tracking and microphone access if it’s not necessary.
- Use Privacy Settings: Adjust settings in the app to limit what’s shared publicly.
- Be Cautious with Personal Details: Avoid sharing your home address, phone number, or financial information.
- Avoid Linking Accounts: Don’t link social media accounts to each other or third-party apps.
- Think Before You Share: Once you post something, it can be stored and shared, even if you delete it.
Why It Matters
Social media apps are fun and useful, but they come with risks. Your data can be used to target you with ads, sold to third parties, or even accessed by bad actors. Understanding what’s at stake helps you make better decisions about what apps to use and how to protect your privacy.
Take control of your online presence—your information is worth protecting.
What it Means for You
Consumers face real-world consequences from the security and privacy risks posed by social media apps. These risks can lead to significant personal, financial, and even emotional harm. Here are some concrete dangers:
1. Identity Theft
Personal information like your name, address, and date of birth can be used by criminals to steal your identity. With this information, they can open bank accounts, apply for loans, or commit fraud in your name.
2. Financial Fraud
When apps store payment information or credit card details, data breaches can expose this information to hackers. This can result in unauthorized charges, drained bank accounts, or stolen funds.
3. Targeted Scams and Phishing Attacks
Cybercriminals use data from social media profiles to craft convincing scams. For instance, if an app shows your location or habits, scammers can target you with believable schemes, such as fake emergency requests from friends.
4. Stalking and Harassment
Geolocation data can expose your real-time location. This information could be misused by stalkers or individuals intending harm, putting physical safety at risk.
5. Blackmail or Extortion
Photos, videos, or personal messages shared on social media can be weaponized. Cybercriminals might threaten to release sensitive content unless a ransom is paid.
6. Loss of Privacy
Data collected by apps can be sold to advertisers or data brokers. This leads to hyper-targeted ads and loss of control over how your personal information is used. Even information about your children can be exploited.
7. Reputation Damage
Posts or content shared online can be taken out of context or misused. A single inappropriate post or private message leak can harm personal relationships, job prospects, or public reputation.
8. National Security Threats
Apps like TikTok, which operate under foreign jurisdictions, raise concerns about mass data collection and surveillance. Users could unknowingly contribute to broader geopolitical risks, including espionage.
9. Emotional and Mental Stress
Constant surveillance, targeted manipulation, and privacy invasions can lead to anxiety and stress. Social media platforms often use behavioral data to push addictive content, amplifying mental health struggles.
10. Difficulty Escaping Online Harm
Once your data is exposed, it’s nearly impossible to regain full control. Data sold or shared with third parties can continue to circulate indefinitely, leading to ongoing risks.
The Takeaway on Social Media Privacy
The risks posed by social media platforms extend far beyond the digital world. Identity theft, financial losses, harassment, and mental health impacts are just a few of the tangible dangers. To protect yourself, it’s vital to understand how these platforms collect and use your data and take steps to safeguard your privacy. Proactive action can help minimize these real-world perils.
Mr. Kelly is an expert in data modelling, technical analytics and forecasting. Tim has extensive experience in online marketing, search engine optimization, content development and content distribution. He has consulted some of the top brokerages, media companies and financial exchanges on online marketing and content management including: The New York Board of Trade, Chicago Board Options Exchange, International Business Times, Briefing.com, Bloomberg and Bridge Information Systems and 401kTV.
After leaving management of ForexTV in 2018, he continues to be a regular market analyst and writer for forextv.com. He holds a Series 3 and Series 34 CFTC registration and formerly was a Commodities Trading Advisor (CTA). Tim is also an expert and specialist in Ichimoku technical analysis. He was also a licensed Property & Casualty; Life, Accident & Health Insurance Producer in New York State.
In addition to writing about the financial markets, Mr. Kelly writes extensively about online marketing and content marketing.
Mr. Kelly attended Boston College where he studied English Literature and Economics, and also attended the University of Siena, Italy where he studied studio art.
Mr. Kelly has been a decades-long community volunteer in his hometown of Long Island where he established the community assistance foundation, Kelly's Heroes. He has also been a coach of Youth Lacrosse for over 10 years. Prior to volunteering in youth sports, Mr. Kelly was involved in the Inner City Scholarship program administered by the Archdiocese of New York.
Before creating ForexTV, Mr, Kelly was Sr. VP Global Marketing for Bridge Information Systems, the world’s second largest financial market data vendor. Prior to Bridge, Mr. Kelly was a team leader of Media at Bloomberg Financial Markets, where he created Bloomberg Personal Magazine with an initial circulation of over 7 million copies monthly.
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