November 22 – Yes, the quick videos are funny. Yes, people create some interesting information. Yes, the “TikTok taught me” ads are intriguing.
But the thing a whole lot of people don’t know about TikTok is what TikTok know about YOU.
We all breeze right through those user agreements when we download anything – pages and pages of legalese that could put a caffeine addict to sleep. (Apologies to attorney Clint Barkdoll.)
But all that information in the TikTok user agreement says you are giving TikTok access to your entire phone or device.
Read that again: you are giving TikTok access to your entire phone or device.
That includes everything in your device from your contacts to all the other personal information you’ve ever put into it.
Attorney Clint Barkdoll said, “Your movements around your area or around the world would be very easily monitored if you’re actively using some of those apps. That’s why our government, Democrats and Republicans are saying TikTok, among others, it’s time to just ban these apps. It’s too much of a national security risk.”
Pat Ryan of NewsTalk 103.7FM suggested, “If the FBI doesn’t like it and Democrats don’t like it and Republicans have been screaming their heads off about it, there is something we can do about it despite a keyboard warriorette who thinks that nothing can happen.”
Barkdoll said, “I think there is a way in today’s technology world that the government could essentially shut it off. When you see the FBI director come out last week and warn about it and now you have Democrats saying we now need to introduce legislation to address this because it’s a national security risk, it’s serious.”
Remember TikTok is an app that comes from China.
Congressman John Joyce said, “Three years ago I said beware of the spy in your children’s pocket. That’s what TikTok is. It is collecting that data. It is a tool to collect misinformation while at the same time building an addictive tool used by tens of millions of American teenagers and young adults. The Biden administration, they failed to address this crisis. This is worrying. It’s an issue that’s continued to grow worse each day that TikTok continues to grow. They’ve increased their viewership. They’ve increased their membership. We know that user data is accessible inside China. We know that they are tracking your kid’s keystrokes. They are tracking your kid’s locations and they are tracking personal data from cell phones. It’s a dangerous tool. I warned about it three years ago. I’m warning about it again today. Joe Biden and his administration are doing absolutely nothing to stop this.”
Michele Jansen of NewsTalk 103.7FM pointed out, “It’s a little terrifying. They say the majority of Americans are on TikTok. We’ve got to stop this nonsense well because a certain person brought it up first, we’re going to ignore it. This has been a danger. You recognized it, but we have people playing politics to ignore the risk. They’re finally starting to open their eyes to it.”
Joyce said, “I’m going to make an ask. I want parents to ask if their children, their teenagers, their young adults, ask them at Thanksgiving dinner. Ask if they’re on TikTok. Make them aware that their personal information is being shared with the Chinese Communist Party who own TikTok. Parents, reach out. Ask your kids about TikTok. Make the recommendation that they disembark from that platform. It was a spy in their pocket three years ago. It continues to be the spy in their pocket today.”
