I don’t trust TikTok because of its privacy issues. It is a known problem that has been widely covered. But to many, it’s the ideal platform to get a quick following.
TikTok is a popular app that allows users to create short videos and post them online. TikTok comes from a Chinese social media platform called Douyin, which translates to “to sing for you.” However, I don’t trust TikTok because of its privacy issues.
Its parent company, ByteDance, owns TikTok. ByteDance has been called the “Facebook of China” because it owns multiple apps that have become popular in Asia, such as Jinri Toutiao (news aggregator), TopBuzz (social media site), and others.
China Owns TikTok.
Imagine you’re a parent, and your child is on TikTok. Many videos are music videos or silly clips of kids dancing to popular songs. You don’t mind that they’re watching a piece they know—but then they start posting their content. However, some of these videos have inappropriate content: suggestive dancing, short skirts, and even curse words!
Some are wondering why there are so many inappropriate TikTok posts for kids on this social network if it’s supposed to be for teens and young adults only.
Well, here’s the thing: TikTok isn’t a social marketing network at all—and neither is it supposed to be! It’s just an app like Vine or Instagram where users can create short videos with filters and post them online quickly. It takes less time and effort (unlike YouTube). Though you may be able to search through YouTube channels related to TikTok like “TikToaster” (a channel dedicated solely towards making short clips) or even some accounts created explicitly by people who make parody music videos using existing hit songs – but when looking through other genres such as comedy sketches or drama series? Not so much!
TikTok does not fully comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a law that requires websites to get parental consent before collecting data from children under 13. However, TikTok does not require parental consent and collects data from children under 13.
TikTok is spying on you.
TikTok collects and sells your data, including location and phone number.
Data collection is a concern for any app you use, but it’s essential to be aware of TikTok because the company engages in pretty shady practices. For one thing, TikTok tracks your location by default. Whenever you open the app—even if it’s not your first time opening it that day. So if you’re worried about privacy or how much information companies are gathering about you online, this should raise some red flags (but don’t worry—we’ll explain how to opt out).
TikTok also collects your phone number and sells this information as part of its ad-targeting services program called “Loyalty.” This means brands can target people based on their phone numbers without asking for permission first. Users who’ve shared their contact list with TikTok could find themselves receiving ads from brands they don’t remember opting into (if they did at all).
The videos on TikTok are super-addictive.
There are a few reasons why TikTok is addictive.
The first and most obvious reason is the short videos. They’re quick, give you something to do while waiting in line at Starbucks or standing at the bathroom sink, and don’t require much thought or effort. You can sit back and enjoy them and immediately forget about them once you’ve seen them. They’re like having a snack: not precisely healthy, but perfect when all you want is an easy fix!
Another reason that TikTok is addictive comes from its music library. So many songs on there only play if they fit within the context of your current video. This means they’re catchy tunes you’ll be humming as soon as they start playing. When you enter the app again when another user posts using those same songs! It’s like getting stuck in one big infinite loop of catchy pop songs.
TikTok has been involved in controversy.
The Social Media app has been accused of stealing content from other apps and other artists. And from other social media platforms.
TikTok’s parent company, Bytedance, is a Chinese tech giant that owns several apps and tools that serve as the backbone for many popular features on TikTok: GIFs are provided by GIPHY; music comes courtesy of SoundCloud or Spotify, and video editing software is powered by Adobe Premiere Rush CC (which is owned by Adobe). It all adds up to something very troubling. We don’t know where our videos come from because they all seem familiar!
I used to love Vine, but that is gone.
With TikTok, you can share and create short videos similar to Instagram stories. But don’t confuse it with Vine, a popular video-sharing app acquired by Twitter in 2012. Twitter shut down Vine in 2016 after it became clear that the platform wasn’t making the company any money. Nowadays, TikTok is at least as big as Vine ever was. However, it’s owned by China’s largest messaging service provider, Bytedance Inc., which bought the app for $1 billion in 2018.
Now we have a situation where a Chinese company owns one of America’s most popular apps and services—one with over 500 million monthly active users. According to Forbes Magazine (less than Spotify). However, still enough people to make anyone think twice about trusting them with their data!
Don’t trust TikTok. Get your video fixed somewhere else!
Suppose you’re not concerned enough about TikTok’s shady practices to stop using the app. There are still a few things that could convince you. First, it is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, which also owns other popular apps like Douyin and Jinri Toutiao. This means your data is being shared with other companies owned by this foreign corporation. The co-founder of ByteDance has been accused of spying on users through their phone cameras and microphones.
The app also does not fully comply with COPPA—a federal law intended to protect children from harmful internet content— so it should be avoided if kids use your device.
Why I Don’t Trust TikTok
Ultimately, I feel like TikTok is not a platform I can trust. That said, I’m not giving up on video apps entirely. Other services seem safer for kids and teens and people who want an alternative to TikTok (like Instagram Stories). If you’re looking for ways to make great videos with your friends or family members, try these alternatives! It’s essential, after all, that we keep sharing – but make sure you do so responsibly too 😉