TikTok is data hungry, and that’s the reason it’s dangerous

Image: – © AFP Kazuhiro NOGI

A series of TikTok bans have been initiated across the globe. The most recent come from the UK, with a ban put in place across all areas of government. The social media service has also been fined for $15.9 million in the UK due to a number of breaches of data protection laws along with misusing children’s personal data.

Collin R. Walke is special counsel and leads national law firm Hall Estill’s Cybersecurity and Data Privacy practice. Prior to joining the firm, he served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 2016-2022 as the State Representative for House District 87.

Walke has been following TikTok’s data privacy issues closely, and of the news about UK fining the app for children’s data privacy leaks, he explains: “TikTok is well known for its collection and use of personal data, including tracking individuals and their data usage on a massive scale, which is why businesses, states, and even entire countries are looking to implement bans or otherwise reign in the usage of TikTok and other data abusers.”

With the recent fine, Walke explains: “The recent $15.9 million fine by the British Information Commissioner’s Office is a reflection of governments across the world cracking down on digital surveillance.”

In terms of what the social media firm itself is seeking can be summed up in one word ‘data’. Here Walke observes: “There are more than a billion users of TikTok and user data is the new oil in terms of monetary benefits, which is why so many tech companies are exploiting the collection of personal information across the globe. Companies build individualized profiles off of our data usage, which then allows advertisers and nefarious actors to target and manipulate individuals based off of their behavioural patterns.”

Drawing on an example of the extent of the data collection process, Walke  finds: “One study found that TikTok collected information from Android phones such as SI million serial numbers, device voicemail numbers, GPS status information, and complete access to read the device’s clipboard; in other words, not only are users of TikTok giving up their identity, they are giving up extremely personal information, including, potentially, passwords via password managers that use clipboards.”

This itself brings new concerns for data custody: “Data leaks lead to hacks and ransomware attacks. As a result, I believe that we will see more and more private companies ban the use of TikTok in order to ensure cybersecurity integrity. Further, I believe that TikTok and companies utilizing similar tactics, will soon be restricted through national and state data privacy regulations.”

Walke issues a warning for users of the video sharing software service: “Many consumers using TikTok simply do not appreciate the extent that they are allowing their privacy to be violated and exploited.”

He adds: “Hopefully, this recent fine will draw attention to how we are being exploited and surveilled in extremely harmful ways.”