TikTok, today’s most popular application for creating short-form mobile videos, is under scrutiny for its potential data-sharing obligations with the Chinese government. With over 800 million active users worldwide and nearly 40 million users in the U.S., government officials have began a thorough investigation into TikTok’s data privacy and security regulations.
India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has already banned TikTok and other popular Chinese-connected apps including WeChat over the allegations. India was TikTok’s largest user base, with around 200 million users in the region before it was banned.
The U.S. government is also considering a ban on TikTok due to concerns about Chinese laws requiring domestic companies “to support and cooperate with intelligence work controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.”
Similar to most social media apps, TikTok collects a huge amount of personal information about its users by demanding access to their phone’s camera, microphone, contact list, and location using GPS tracking. More information can be found in TikTok’s Privacy Policy.
Will you continue to use TikTok amid the data-sharing allegations? Do the benefits of creating viral videos outweigh the risks?