TikTok is a social media platform for creating and sharing short videos, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It was launched globally in 2018 after merging with Musical.ly and has since grown to become one of the fastest-growing social media platforms in the world, particularly popular among young people.

Privacy and Security

TikTok is under continuous scrutiny due to privacy concerns, primarily because of its ownership structure (ByteDance in China) and extensive data collection. Various countries have raised security concerns about potential data use by the Chinese government, leading to investigations and in some cases restrictions.

Data Concerns

• Collects extensive user data, including biometric information and device details
• Concerns about data transfer to China and access by Chinese authorities
• Highly sophisticated algorithm that minutely analyzes user behavior
• Data stored outside the EU without adequate protection guarantees
• History of security vulnerabilities and privacy issues
• Unclear data retention practices and policies
• Extensive access rights to device data, including location and contacts
• Designed to be addictive, resulting in longer usage time and more data collection