2023-12-31 08:11:35
Chinese-owned video-streaming platform TikTok is reportedly asking users for iPhone passwords to view its content, raising concerns among people using the app.
According to Dexerto, reports first surfaced in November that the platform had started asking iPhone users to enter their iPhone passcode in order to use the app. According to the report, users alerted other users via social media.
TikTok is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, which moved its headquarters to Singapore in 2020. So far, it hasn’t responded to why users are required to provide their personal information.
Dexerto noted that the move coincided with Apple’s security updates aimed at protecting users from password theft.
The latest iOS update on December 12 provides iPhone users with a second layer of security, making it harder for thieves to access important information, including passwords, from stolen Apple phones.
At the time of the update, an Apple spokesperson told The Epoch Times:
As threats to user devices continue to evolve, we work tirelessly to develop more effective protections for our users and their data. iPhone data encryption has long been industry-leading, and it’s nearly impossible to access data on a stolen iPhone without knowing the user’s password.
There is no clear connection between the iOS update and the request for TikTok users’ iPhone passwords. According to tech publication Dataconomy, the problem might be caused by a software bug, an app update, security measures or updates, or a content filter known as “restricted mode.”
TikTok and the legal challenges
Some users managed to resolve the issue by updating to the latest version of TikTok. Others bypassed the system by simply pressing the “delete” button instead of entering passwords when asked to enter their data, reports Dataconomy.
The Epoch Times has contacted TikTok for more information.
As TikTok faces a growing number of lawsuits, concerns may arise regarding sensitive data requests.
A lawsuit filed by the state of Indiana claims the app misled users. He did this by falsely claiming that the social media platform was safe for children. And that users’ personal data is protected. However, that lawsuit was dismissed by a county judge in November.
The state of Montana already tried to ban TikTok outright due to safety concerns, but that lawsuit also failed following a federal judge ruled it unconstitutional last month.
In September, European regulatory authorities $368 million a fine was imposed to the platform because it did not protect children’s privacy.
TikTok usage has skyrocketed
Officials in Washington have also repeatedly expressed concerns regarding the security of the video-streaming site. They fear that the data of users living in the United States might potentially end up in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The platform is subject to laws in China that require the company to hand over any data it holds to the CCP upon request.
ByteDance has denied that this is the case and says it stores US user data on its servers.
However, the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom have already banned TikTok from government devices.
There have also been concerns regarding the app being used to spread propaganda. Especially since a study found that more and more TikTok users are getting their news from the video-sharing app. Nearly a third of adults between the ages of 18 and 29 regularly use the platform for news.
Despite ongoing security and privacy concerns, TikTok platform CEO Shou Zi Chew says interest in the platform is growing. Today, it has more than 150 million US users.
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