TikTok hack replaces people’s videos with coronavirus conspiracy theories
4 years, 8 months ago

TikTok hack replaces people’s videos with coronavirus conspiracy theories

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A security vulnerability with the popular app TikTok could allow hackers to post fake videos to people’s accounts, researchers have warned. App developers Tommy Mysk and Talal Haj Bakry were able to manipulate popular TikTok accounts to make it appear as though they were endorsing dangerous conspiracy theories and hoaxes surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. “Smoking and vaping kill the coronavirus.” A blog post detailing the threat urged TikTok to switch from the HTTP protocol to the more secure HTTPS in order to prevent future attacks. “The circulation of misleading and fake videos in a popular platform such as TikTok poses huge risks,” the blog post stated.

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History of this topic

ByteDance’s Lemon8 gains traction amid TikTok ban threat as creators push the app
23 hours, 1 minute ago

ByteDance’s Lemon8 gains traction amid TikTok ban threat as creators push the app

Associated Press  

Hearing a lot about Lemon8 lately? Amid a looming U.S. ban on TikTok, content creators have been pushing the platform’s sister app. Lemon8’s popularity could potentially soar further depending on the outcome of a U.S. Supreme Court hearing Friday over a law requiring TikTok to break ties with ByteDance or face a U.S. ban. TikTok said the integration was designed …

TikTok users want SCOTUS to think it’s more about dance videos than Chinese international intrigue
Trending News
1 day, 10 hours ago

TikTok users want SCOTUS to think it’s more about dance videos than Chinese international intrigue

CNN  

CNN — TikTok, the popular social media platform celebrated for its frothy mix of dance videos, cat antics, news clips and recipes, will wage a substantial First Amendment battle at the Supreme Court on Friday. “Most of it consists of things like dance videos, home-repair tutorials, and montages of weekend getaways.” More importantly as a matter of First Amendment protection, …

One billion users, but controversies mount up for TikTok
2 weeks, 4 days ago

One billion users, but controversies mount up for TikTok

Hindustan Times  

TikTok's breakneck rise from niche video-sharing app to global social media behemoth has drawn intense scrutiny, particularly over its links to China. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said Saturday the government would shut down social network TikTok for at least a year from 2025. The EU is probing whether far-right presidential candidate Calin Georgescu's surprise victory in the first round …

Trump meets TikTok CEO as platform fights US ban
3 weeks, 1 day ago

Trump meets TikTok CEO as platform fights US ban

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Donald Trump reportedly met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew …

TikTok’s last hope? CEO Shou Chew meets Donald Trump ahead of US ban deadline
3 weeks, 1 day ago

TikTok’s last hope? CEO Shou Chew meets Donald Trump ahead of US ban deadline

Live Mint  

TikTok CEO Shou Chew reportedly met with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Monday, just weeks before a US ban on the app is expected to take effect. Ban deadline looms The shutdown of TikTok is slated for January 19 under a law signed by President Joe Biden unless its parent company, ByteDance Ltd., agrees to divest the …

TikTok being investigated after suspected meddling in Romania's presidential election
3 weeks, 1 day ago

TikTok being investigated after suspected meddling in Romania's presidential election

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy European Union regulators said Tuesday they're investigating whether TikTok breached the …

Why does the US want to ban TikTok: List of allegations against the app
1 month ago

Why does the US want to ban TikTok: List of allegations against the app

Hindustan Times  

A US federal appeals court has upheld a law mandating that ByteDance, the Chinese company behind the popular short-video app TikTok, must divest its US operations by early next year or face a potential ban. TikTok has said "an entity affiliated with the Chinese government owns 1% of a ByteDance subsidiary, Douyin Information Service," and says the holding "has no …

TikTok is one step closer to being banned in the US
1 month ago

TikTok is one step closer to being banned in the US

CNN  

New York CNN — TikTok has lost its bid to strike down a law that could result in the platform being banned in the United States. Denying TikTok’s argument that the law was unconstitutional, the judges found that the law does not “contravene the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States,” nor does it “violate the Fifth Amendment …

TikTok lost a major legal bid to avoid a U.S. ban. Now what?
1 month ago

TikTok lost a major legal bid to avoid a U.S. ban. Now what?

LA Times  

A visitor passes the TikTok exhibition stands at the Gamescom computer gaming fair in Cologne, Germany, in 2022. “Here the Government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary’s ability to gather data on people in the United States.” Legal experts said they expect TikTok will appeal its case to the Supreme …

The Future of TikTok Is Being Decided This Week
1 month ago

The Future of TikTok Is Being Decided This Week

Wired  

Republicans and Democrats sank ungodly amounts of money into creating content for TikTok this election year, but there’s a chance the app might not be around in the US come next cycle. The law put in place a system that would ban TikTok if the app’s parent company, Bytedance, didn’t sell to a US-based owner by January 19, 2025. Soon, …

Trump wanted to ban TikTok. Will his return to office help save it?
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Trump wanted to ban TikTok. Will his return to office help save it?

LA Times  

The fate of TikTok in the U.S. has been up in the air since 2020, when then-President Trump moved to ban the popular video app because of national security concerns. One hitch: Trump recently changed his mind, joining TikTok in June and posting on social media, “Those who want to save TikTok in America, vote for Trump.” “We’re not doing …

Trump led the charge to ban TikTok. Now he says he’ll save it
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Trump led the charge to ban TikTok. Now he says he’ll save it

Al Jazeera  

Trump has pledged to ‘save’ popular Chinese-owned app despite signing an order to ban it during his first term. On the campaign trail, Trump, who signed an executive order seeking to ban the app during his first term, pledged to “save TikTok” but neither he nor his transition team have disclosed further details about what this might mean for ByteDance. …

TikTok Employees Shrug Off the US Election
2 months ago

TikTok Employees Shrug Off the US Election

Wired  

TikTok is one of the tech companies that could be most impacted by the outcome of the US elections. “There’s little you can do as an ordinary employee, and everyone thinks that way, so the result is business as usual.” WIRED talked to half a dozen employees at TikTok and its parent company ByteDance on the condition of anonymity, and …

TikTok has known about how the app can harm teens and preteens, new documents show
2 months, 3 weeks ago

TikTok has known about how the app can harm teens and preteens, new documents show

NPR  

TikTok has known about how the app can harm teens and preteens, new documents show AYESHA RASCOE, HOST: TikTok executives were acutely aware of the potential dangers the app could cause to teens but appeared unconcerned, even though the company's own internal research validated the fears child safety advocates have been raising for years. But in internal documents, TikTok admitted …

Inside the TikTok documents: Stripping teens and boosting 'attractive' people
2 months, 4 weeks ago

Inside the TikTok documents: Stripping teens and boosting 'attractive' people

NPR  

Inside the TikTok documents: Stripping teens and boosting 'attractive' people toggle caption Damian Dovarganes/AP Kids as young as 15 were stripping on TikTok’s live feature fueled by adults who were paying for it. TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes beautiful people When TikTok’s main video feed saw “a high volume of … not attractive subjects” filling everyone’s screens, the app rejiggered its algorithm …

TikTok sued by multiple states for allegedly causing harm to children’s mental health
3 months ago

TikTok sued by multiple states for allegedly causing harm to children’s mental health

The Independent  

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. …

Poll: More turning to TikTok for news in US
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Poll: More turning to TikTok for news in US

China Daily  

Small toy figures are seen in front of TikTok logo in this illustration picture taken March 15, 2021. About 4 in 10 young adults in the US now regularly get news on TikTok, according to a Pew Research Center analysis published on Tuesday. Today, 39 percent of adults under 30 say they regularly get news on TikTok, compared with shares …

TikTok to begin appeal against possible US ban
3 months, 3 weeks ago

TikTok to begin appeal against possible US ban

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy TikTok will go head-to-head with …

Trump claims he’ll ‘save’ TikTok - despite trying to get it banned while in office
4 months ago

Trump claims he’ll ‘save’ TikTok - despite trying to get it banned while in office

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Donald …

US Govt Lawyers Say TikTok Collected User Data Around Specific Subjects: All Details
5 months, 1 week ago

US Govt Lawyers Say TikTok Collected User Data Around Specific Subjects: All Details

News 18  

WASHINGTON: In a fresh broadside against one of the world’s most popular technology companies, the Justice Department is accusing TikTok of harnessing the capability to gather bulk information on users based on views on divisive social issues like gun control, abortion and religion. TikTok employees used Lark to send sensitive data about U.S. users, information that has wound up being …

TikTok Has a Nazi Problem
5 months, 1 week ago

TikTok Has a Nazi Problem

Wired  

Neo-Nazis and white supremacists are sharing Hitler-related propaganda and trying to recruit new members on TikTok, according to a new report from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue shared exclusively with WIRED. The report from ISD details how hundreds of extremist TikTok accounts are openly posting videos promoting Holocaust denial and the glorification of Hitler and Nazi-era Germany, and suggesting that …

TikTok collected user views on abortion and gun control, U.S. Justice Department says
5 months, 1 week ago

TikTok collected user views on abortion and gun control, U.S. Justice Department says

The Hindu  

In a fresh broadside against one of the world’s most popular technology companies, the Justice Department is accusing TikTok of harnessing the capability to gather bulk information on users based on views on divisive social issues like gun control, abortion and religion. TikTok employees used Lark to send sensitive data about U.S. users, information that has wound up being stored …

TikTok collected views of US users on abortion, gun control: Justice Department
5 months, 1 week ago

TikTok collected views of US users on abortion, gun control: Justice Department

India Today  

In a fresh broadside against one of the world’s most popular technology companies, the Justice Department is accusing TikTok of harnessing the capability to gather bulk information on users based on views on divisive social issues like gun control, abortion and religion. TikTok employees used Lark to send sensitive data about US users, information that has wound up being stored …

US Government Accuses TikTok Of Collecting User Views On Issues Like Abortion And Gun Control
5 months, 1 week ago

US Government Accuses TikTok Of Collecting User Views On Issues Like Abortion And Gun Control

News 18  

In a fresh broadside against one of the world’s most popular technology companies, the Justice Department late Friday accused TikTok of harnessing the capability to gather bulk information on users based on views on divisive social issues like gun control, abortion and religion. TikTok employees used Lark to send sensitive data about U.S. users, information that has wound up being …

Justice Department says TikTok collected US user views on issues like abortion and gun control
5 months, 1 week ago

Justice Department says TikTok collected US user views on issues like abortion and gun control

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — In a fresh broadside against one of the world’s most popular technology companies, the Justice Department is accusing TikTok of harnessing the capability to gather bulk information on users based on views on divisive social issues like gun control, abortion and religion. TikTok employees used Lark to send sensitive data about U.S. users, information that has wound up …

Justice Department says TikTok collected U.S. user views on issues like abortion and gun control
5 months, 1 week ago

Justice Department says TikTok collected U.S. user views on issues like abortion and gun control

LA Times  

The Justice Department has made new accusations against TikTok, which is owned by Beijing-based parent company ByteDance. In a fresh broadside against one of the world’s most popular technology companies, the Justice Department has accused TikTok of harnessing the capability to gather bulk information on users based on their views about divisive social issues such as gun control, abortion and …

TikTok Lite Leaves up to 1 Billion Users With Fewer Protections
5 months, 2 weeks ago

TikTok Lite Leaves up to 1 Billion Users With Fewer Protections

Wired  

In May, TikTok announced that it would automatically label AI-generated content on its platform. A new report from the Mozilla Foundation and AI Forensics finds that TikTok’s Lite-Save Data version, aimed at users in poorer markets, not only leaves AI-generated content unlabeled, but also lacks other, similar safeguards. Some content about topics like elections and health, similarly, includes a notice …

Trump backs TikTok as US ban looms
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Trump backs TikTok as US ban looms

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Donald Trump has said he supports TikTok amid a looming ban for the …

TikTok cyberattack targets CNN, Paris Hilton and other high-profile accounts
7 months ago

TikTok cyberattack targets CNN, Paris Hilton and other high-profile accounts

LA Times  

TikTok is investigating a cyberattack targeting “a number of high-profile” accounts, including media outlet CNN and celebrity Paris Hilton. In particular, a TikTok spokesperson said, the company has been “collaborating closely with CNN to restore account access and implement enhanced security measures” after the news organization was targeted on the app by “malicious actors.” “We are dedicated to maintaining the …

Trump tried to ban TikTok, now he’s joined it: So what changed?
7 months ago

Trump tried to ban TikTok, now he’s joined it: So what changed?

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “As far as TikTok is concerned, we’re banning them from the United States,” then-president …

Trump joins TikTok and gains 3 million followers in two days
7 months ago

Trump joins TikTok and gains 3 million followers in two days

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Donald Trump has garnered over three million followers in just …

TikTok curbs state-affiliated media amid foreign influence fears
7 months, 2 weeks ago

TikTok curbs state-affiliated media amid foreign influence fears

Al Jazeera  

Video-sharing app says state-backed accounts will not be recommended or allowed to advertise outside home countries. TikTok, the popular video-sharing app, has announced new curbs on state-affiliated media amid concerns about foreign interference in a major election year. The Chinese-owned platform said on Thursday that state-affiliated media accounts would no longer be recommended in users’ feeds or allowed to advertise …

TikTok sues US to block law that could ban the social media platform
8 months ago

TikTok sues US to block law that could ban the social media platform

Associated Press  

TikTok and its Chinese parent company filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging a new American law that would ban the popular video-sharing app in the U.S. unless it’s sold to an approved buyer, saying it unfairly singles out the platform and is an unprecedented attack on free speech. In its lawsuit, ByteDance says the new law vaguely paints its ownership of …

How TikTok grew from a fun app for teens into a potential national security threat
8 months, 1 week ago

How TikTok grew from a fun app for teens into a potential national security threat

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. On Wednesday, President Joe Biden signed legislation requiring TikTok …

The ghosts of India's TikTok: What happens when a social media app is banned
8 months, 2 weeks ago

The ghosts of India's TikTok: What happens when a social media app is banned

BBC  

The ghosts of India's TikTok: What happens when a social media app is banned Getty Images TikTok was one of India's most popular apps – until it was banned in 2020. Banning a massive social media app would be an unprecedented moment in American tech history, though the looming court battle currently leaves TikTok's fate uncertain. When TikTok went offline …

More than 3 billion people are currently banned from using TikTok
8 months, 2 weeks ago

More than 3 billion people are currently banned from using TikTok

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy TikTok is facing the prospect of being banned or unavailable for nearly half …

TikTok to crack down on content that promotes disordered eating and dangerous weight-loss habits
8 months, 2 weeks ago

TikTok to crack down on content that promotes disordered eating and dangerous weight-loss habits

LA Times  

After weight-loss videos proliferated on TikTok, the app is taking measures to promote positive body image and mental health. TikTok now clearly states that it bans videos “showing, describing, promoting, or offering or requesting coaching for disordered eating or dangerous weight-loss behaviors.” The company defines those behaviors as extreme low-calorie diets, binging and intentional vomiting, misusing medication or supplements for …

TikTok bows to European pressure and halts reward feature on new app in France and Spain
8 months, 2 weeks ago

TikTok bows to European pressure and halts reward feature on new app in France and Spain

Associated Press  

LONDON — TikTok said Wednesday that it’s halting a feature on its new app rewarding users in Europe for watching videos, after facing pressure from regulators worried about its addictive features. The company backed down days after the European Union warned that the TikTok Lite app might have breached the 27-nation bloc’s digital regulations when it launched earlier this month. …

TikTok star urges US to force sale after witnessing 'terrifying' algorithm amid Israel-Palestine war
8 months, 2 weeks ago

TikTok star urges US to force sale after witnessing 'terrifying' algorithm amid Israel-Palestine war

Hindustan Times  

Imagine speaking out against the platform that enables you to earn a living. This comes on the heels of White House representatives passing a bill that could lead to a permanent TikTok ban in America. White House passes the bill, threatens to ban TikTok The world’s most popular musical video service, which has been accused of spreading ‘Hamas hate speech …

TikTok creators warn of economic impact if app sees ban, call it a vital space for the marginalized
9 months, 3 weeks ago

TikTok creators warn of economic impact if app sees ban, call it a vital space for the marginalized

Hindustan Times  

Alex Pearlman shut the door on dreams of a standup comedy career almost a decade ago, pivoting from the stage to an office cubicle where he worked a customer service job. Pearlman is among the many TikTok creators across the U.S. outraged over a bipartisan bill passed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday that would lead to a nationwide …

TikTok creators warn of economic impact if app sees ban, call it a vital space for the marginalized
9 months, 3 weeks ago

TikTok creators warn of economic impact if app sees ban, call it a vital space for the marginalized

Associated Press  

Alex Pearlman shut the door on dreams of a standup comedy career almost a decade ago, pivoting from the stage to an office cubicle where he worked a customer service job. Whether or not that will be better or worse, Congress has no way of knowing.” Content creator Jensen Savannah, left, and her fiance and brand manager Jorge Millares, produce …

TikTok Fined $11 million: Italy regulator fines TikTok $11 mln over content checks
9 months, 3 weeks ago

TikTok Fined $11 million: Italy regulator fines TikTok $11 mln over content checks

The Hindu  

Italy's competition watchdog has fined three units of social media giant TikTok 10 million euros in total for inadequate checks on content potentially harmful to young or vulnerable users, it said on Thursday. TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, and other social media companies including Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms, are under pressure from regulators around the globe to …

India banned TikTok overnight but 200 million people learned to live without it
9 months, 3 weeks ago

India banned TikTok overnight but 200 million people learned to live without it

CNN  

New Delhi CNN — As TikTok fans in the United States worry about losing access to the wildly-popular social media app, there are lessons they can learn from a country on the other side of the world. “It’s important to remember that when India banned TikTok and multiple Chinese apps, the US was the first to praise the decision,” said …

Trump calls TikTok a threat but says banning app would hurt some kids
9 months, 4 weeks ago

Trump calls TikTok a threat but says banning app would hurt some kids

Live Mint  

US presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Monday TikTok was a national security threat but also said a ban on the popular app would hurt some kids and only strengthen Meta Platforms' Facebook, which the Republican has harshly criticized. Trump reiterated his concerns as lawmakers weigh a bill this week that would give TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance about six months …

A TikTok Stunt Motivates Lawmakers to Take on the App
10 months ago

A TikTok Stunt Motivates Lawmakers to Take on the App

Live Mint  

lawmakers are mounting their most serious attempt to effectively either ban popular video app TikTok or separate it from its Chinese owner, advancing a bill that has more political momentum than previous attempts. “I think TikTok made our case for us today," said Rep. Bob Latta, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce’s panel on communications and technology. “The Administration …

TikTok Faces U.S. Ban in New Draft Bill
10 months ago

TikTok Faces U.S. Ban in New Draft Bill

Live Mint  

TikTok, the short-video platform owned by Chinese internet company ByteDance, is facing renewed political pressure in the U.S. from a draft bill that could lead to a ban of its popular video-sharing app. The bill, introduced by Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher, who leads the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and Democrat Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, addresses “foreign adversary-controlled …

What we learned looking inside TikTok's live-streaming money machine
10 months, 1 week ago

What we learned looking inside TikTok's live-streaming money machine

ABC  

When an Australian streamer told us she was making her living from fan donations on TikTok Live, it seemed like a sign of something new happening on social media. In it, TikTok's spokesperson said its gifting feature "not only makes the interaction more engaging but also allows creators to earn money". That let us calculate TikTok's cut as being about …

Biden campaign trumpets joining TikTok, despite his own administration’s security concerns
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Biden campaign trumpets joining TikTok, despite his own administration’s security concerns

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden ’s reelection campaign on Monday defended its new TikTok account as a vital way to boost its appeal with young voters, even as his administration continued to raise security concerns about whether the popular social media app might be sharing user data with China’s communist government. “The President’s TikTok debut last night — with more …

Joe Biden's campaign joins TikTok, even as administration warns of national security concerns with app
10 months, 4 weeks ago

Joe Biden's campaign joins TikTok, even as administration warns of national security concerns with app

The Hindu  

President Joe Biden's 2024 campaign is now on TikTok, even though he has expressed national security concerns over the platform and banned it on federal devices. Mr. Biden in 2022 banned the use of TikTok by the federal government’s nearly four million employees on devices owned by its agencies, with limited exceptions for law enforcement, national security and security research …

Joe Biden campaign joins TikTok despite ‘national security’ warnings
10 months, 4 weeks ago

Joe Biden campaign joins TikTok despite ‘national security’ warnings

Live Mint  

President Joe Biden's 2024 campaign is now on TikTok, even though he has expressed national security concerns over the platform and banned it on federal devices. Both the FBI and the Federal Communications Commission have warned that TikTok owner ByteDance could share user data — such as browsing history, location and biometric identifiers — with China's authoritarian government. Biden in …

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