Threat Alert: TikTok’s In-App Browser Can Monitor Your Keystrokes – Take Action Now!
On Thursday, ex-Google engineer and privacy researcher, Felix Krause released an in-depth report on how TikTok is tracking the online activities of its iOS app users on external websites.
The report revealed that when iOS users click on a link that takes them to an external website, TikTok is able to insert code into the website's code, allowing it to monitor user activity on the website. This tracking code allows TikTok to gain access to a range of data points, such as device type, IP address, and user actions. This tracking would also make it easy for TikTok to catch a TikTok user’s credit card information or password.
While the report indicates that this tracking mechanism is limited to iOS users, TikTok users on Android devices may still be subject to similar types of tracking. According to the report, TikTok isn't the only platform that is using this type of tracking code – Facebook, Amazon and YouTube were all listed as having similar tracking code on external websites.
This news is sure to put an even larger spotlight on the issue of privacy protection. After all, as more and more digital platforms come online, our privacy is increasingly at stake. As consumers, it's now on us to take back control of our data and our online behavior.
It's also worth noting that though the data that is being tracked through the vehicle of the TikTok tracking code may not enable the company to access personally identifiable information, it still remains a great cause for concern. By granting TikTok this access, there's no guarantee that they, or other third-party companies won't be able to use this data to build a profile of an individual's movements and behaviors.
Ultimately, it's now up to consumers to take the steps necessary to ensure their data remains private and secure. This could include uninstalling the app, enabling additional privacy settings, or simply being more aware of the types of data being collected when using certain platforms.
In the wake of this news, the tech community must engage in an open and honest dialogue about how to balance personal and collective privacy, and the expanding scope of our digital activity. It's the responsibility of consumers, researchers and developers to work together to ensure that our digital data isn't misused.