Zoom polling with primary school kids reveals up to 100% of them in some classes prefer TikTok over YouTube, Instagram and even the ferocious Snapchat. Wired Magazine and Tech Crunch, both respected titles say they can prove that TikTok (and they admit it) actively discriminate against the overweight, LGBT, disabled people and other communities.
Tiktok is part of the Chinese tech invasion causing uncertainty and considerable jealously in the US. China and India are being closely watched in the US where many fear losing control of the technology Industry far sooner than expected five years ago. Interestingly TikTok is banned in India.
In recent weeks Twitter banned former US President Trump from their Portal. TikTok admits to limiting the reach of lesbian gay, fat people, transgender, and the disabled for fear of bullying, they say. Facebook deliberately limits peoples audience to drive their paid boosting business. In 2019, Instagram started reducing likes and shares on posts for digital wellbeing and curate self-harm content following the Holly Russell case and pressure from UK Govt Minister Matt Hancock. Within three days Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram said they'd actively curate self-harm content immediately.
TikTok's data harvesting is more aggressive than others. There is a real threat is how they will use that data. Many fear the Chinese company could actively start trying to interfere in elections, drive thinking around the world.
TikTok watches our SMS message, emails, passwords, bank logins and more are being tracked and might potentially be leaked online or sold on the dark web for peanuts.
Reddit founder reverse-engineered the TikTok application and posted shortly thereafter telling people to ditch the social App. In the back-end of the App, he found that it was collecting info without the owner's permission consisting of phone equipment, other-set up applications, network info, GPS location. This was not revealed in the EULA. (End User License Agreement) violating EU, US regulations on this.
Steve Huffman, the Chief Executive Officer of Reddit, specified: "that app is so fundamentally parasitical, that it's always listening, the fingerprinting technology they use is truly scary, and also I can not bring myself to set up an application like that on my phone."
TikTok is implicated of using fingerprinting techniques, which is controversial owing to the level of detail it takes from users. Fingerprinting is tracking you by gathering as much information concerning your web browser, including plugins, expansions, and your device, such as its make, design, as well as display resolution, to create a 'fingerprint' that's one-of-a-kind to you. This digital composite (finger-print) of you tracks you the web to figure out which websites you visit-- as well as which targeted ads to provide." The with trouble with TikTok explained
Along with Canvas Fingerprinting, TikTok likewise makes use of Sound Fingerprinting to identify people visiting their website. They aren't using your microphone or audio speakers from your device. They are generating sounds internally as well as taping the devices bitstream.
Big Tech everywhere is using Fingerprinting for advertising and marketing-- TikTok is not the only one. We are being electronically strip-searched so marketers can sell us things. However, using Canvas and Audio Fingerprinting is extreme.
It's clear is that the app is infringing privacy. People familiar with this in the EU and the United States are alarmed at the audacious approach of TikTok, exploiting their popularity. Could TikTok be exposing people to political unrest, Government overthrow, international manipulation through cyber power, hacking all under Chinese government control?
Social media Apps harvest users information, that's the deal and how they make such a prosperous living. It is plainly stated in their user policy. The agreements are long and intentionally opaque. The EULA protect the provider, not the users. TikTok privacy settings.
So exactly how is TikTok's information collection different from other social tools? Facebook, Instagram, as well as Twitter are U.S.-based services required to adhere EU and US law. As a Chinese company, TikTok is known to be sharing its user's data with the Chinese Goverment.
TikTok says it keeps all U.S.users in the USA and backs it up in Singapore, yet according to Chinese internet regulations, the company must share data with the Chinese Goverment, under Chinese internet law. Not a lot a comfort there.
Data mining is harmful to privacy, the economy causing security issues worldwide. It also drives behavioural fads, and the spread of misinformation.
The Cambridge Analytica x Facebook detraction altered the nature of politics. Although not completely proven Trumps 2016 election win was down to his teams access to 87 million Facebook accounts who were fed deliberate misinformation. 2016 saw more new unregistered voters than ever before motivated by this misinformation driving his vote count.
China has developed a social credit score system for its citizens and can mine information from individuals around the globe-- especially kids. 64% of Tiktok users are under the age of 24.
Chinese citizens are not permitted international phones without party say so. China controls the mobile network and internet switching it off when convenient and downplaying SARS & COVID19 infection rates. Critics say TikTok strengthens China's ability to do this internationally. At a simple level, smog pictures from Chinese cities are taken down frequently, either deleting the picture or reducing the reach.
In our speaking business, we are always reminding people to be careful and respectful in what they say online. Every day of the week we see victims of digital fraud, where somebody's details or pictures are unknowingly made use of by cybercriminals for malicious purposes
As the internet gets more and more established online reputation becomes more and more relevant. People will be overlooked for positions, teams, jobs they deserved for past transgression posted online. Or lose a cherished job, role, membership over a long-forgotten post from their past.
Worst of all is the fake news element. TikTok uses multi-angle biometric scans of users, making use of that to create fake content. TechCrunch, a trusted source says TikTok put deepfake technology into the app code back in January 2020, but it was never introduced totally. Video clips can be doctored revealing political leaders making remarks they never made. This is concerning
For example starlet Kristen Bell that had her face adjusted onto a pornstars body and released Kristen Bell sex tape. Doctored videos can be used to bribe, threaten ordinary people. Controlling and building your online reputation is vital
TikTok admits to censoring and subduing videos from handicapped, gay, and also fat people. Why? To prevent online bullying. With this type of power, they can suppress protests and global movements. They can influence elections.
Governments are stepping in and ban citizens from using TikTok. India banned TikTok, along with other Chinese-owned apps, paving the way for others to do same. The Indian government cited "safety and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace" as the reason for the ban. American owned Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have been blocked in China-- Facebook was banned in 2009.
Censoring and banning social media openly sets a bad precedent. The average citizen is not aware of this manipulation. This point is clear: Technology has outpaced the measures intended to protect us
What we do next is up to us, but clearly sitting back and doing nothing is not an option. Whatever we do, we need a Judiciary that understands technology, Police Force resourced to act, and jail time.
Online Reputation Privacy settings Holly Russell suicide Trouble with TikTok
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