UK.gov bans TikTok from its devices as a 'precaution' over spying fears The United Kingdom government has banned use of Chinese social media platform TikTok among ministers and officials on their work devices as a “precautionary” measure over worries the app is used to snoop on Brits. Speaking to Parliament this afternoon, Oliver Dowden, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Secretary of State …
Is it "All Privacy Publication"? Is TikTok implementing an unusual form of data un-privacy that's vastly different from some much stuff these days? It might well be doing that but if we are using Google, Windows, Apple etc etc etc etc then is the environment similar? It seems that everything we do these days is aimed at collecting information and then sending adverts or malware.
I did a search on Google last week to see if there was a Biggles book available that I don't have and now I'm getting junkmails from "Biggles" ... I even see emails from my mothers name too - she's 100 and has never used computers at all, clearly whatever I do is being monitored and probably sold.
"The government said TikTok required users to give permission for the app to access data stored on the device, which is then collected and stored by the company. Allowing such permissions gives the company access to a range of data, including contacts, user content, and geolocation data. Dowden said this justified the ban."
Seems sensible as can easily imagine all sorts of ways that this information could be mined to identify and target high value assets for both cyber and real world shenanigans.
Now what about all the other apps and data aggregators that have this information, what controls are in place for those?
What are their IT department doing allowing overreaching apps like that on the devices in the first place?
And these MPs just going "yeah alright" to the permissions - these fuckers clearly have no idea regarding devices security but they feel they know enough to vote for that Online Safety bill?
"these MPs just going "yeah alright" to the permissions - these fuckers clearly have no idea regarding devices security"? My dealings with various departments of the UK gov proves no-one at any level has a clue about anything to do with things to do with comms or the interwebs. Not. A. Clue.
I wondered that as well. It's not that difficult to lock-down corporate Android devices so that only allowed applications can be installed. At least, that's the way my work phone functions. If I wanted to use a social media app, or use a file-sharing service other than company OneDrive, I should rightly have to use my personal device for that.
The fact that UK government employees apparently can install whatever they want onto work devices doesn't fill me with confidence.
not that difficult to lock-down corporate Android devices so that only allowed applications can be installed
Likewise with iOS.
But it requires a couple of things:
Techies with a Clue (and managers with a backbone) and, crucially, the desire and ability to fund a team to curate and whitelist the apps. Any of those three missing and the whole things fails into an incoherent mess.
Believe me I'm not taking the side of politicians here, nor am I going to support them.
The thought did occur a few minutes ago (when I was sat here thinking the same thing) that if politicians are using SocMed apps as a consumer, there's an issue, but as a content creator it's potentially about being more transparent, visible to the younger generations particularly and engaging more.
This may be a US-centric study but I'd hazard it's mirrored closely in the UK - https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2021/09/20/news-consumption-across-social-media-in-2021/
We constantly grumble for more engaged, more "modern" politicians who understand their electorate more closely and are more visible. I mean, my local MP is a grade-A fossil who thinks legitimately that the locals would be better served with a cable-car to the top of a local hill than to even consider the real issues impacting. MPs that engage more would hopefully come to understand that which matters more closely and be seen making difficult decisions.
Having also battled many years on the single device debate and with the advent of Virtual Sim Cards, I can see how this might legitimately be happening on other levels.
Doesn't mean that they're not going to use it to look at tractors or porn whilst in parliament though, rather than engaging and doing their real job.
Obviously there should be an official government app like Whatsapp
It will be delivered in 20years, cost a squillion quid, rely on a Motorola and BAe operated 4.5G network and not run on any commercial phone hardware
The ability to use vowels in messages will hopefully be available in version 2.0
Does anyone know if there is official advice on the use of WhatsApp by MPs etc?
I cannot believe that GCHQ have not issued some sort of advice. How does the use of an app that logs so very much metadata and analyses and sells it fit into a reliable and resilient framework for decision making by people who are in public service for decades?
Is it that Meta et al are thoroughly under the thumb already and so can be trusted not to blab the wrong stuff to the wrong people?
Is it that the information is already getting out there in different forms for those who want to gather it, and so why bother to close the barn door?
Is it that there is a serious dereliction of duty that will be biting a number of people on the bottom sometime soon?
Or is it something else?
I think there's an interesting article here with a tech/security/politics/international intrigue angle.
Quote: "...spying fears..."
(1) What (exactly) does the UK have which foreign spies might desire?
- Aircraft carriers which have their propellers fall off
- Destroyers (Type 45) where all six of them are in dock for repairs
- Non-existent semiconductor industry
- Nuclear power plants built by the French and the Chinese
(2) A citizenry pretty worried about spying by alleged "friends" -- you know, Cheltenhan, Fort Meade
So......which "spying fears" is this article talking about?
The ones who downvote you obviously believe having an effectively non-existent RN actually means Britannia Rules. "Cosw The Daily Heil.
The ones who downvote you obviously believe the USA doesn't spy on anyone friendly.
And just tio realy piuss them off they are pretty well guaranteed toi Brexiteers who worship Medieval Mogg and the ERG.
LOL. You mean the snowflake grammar nazis? Who are also the ones downvoting who obviously believe having an effectively non-existent RN actually means Britannia Rules. "'Cos' The Daily Heil.
The ones who downvote you obviously believe the USA doesn't spy on anyone friendly.
And just to realy piuss them off they are pretty well guaranteed toi Brexiteers who worship Medieval Mogg and the ERG.
Dear downvoters, what's wrong? Don't you like the truth?
The largest proportion (25%) of US TikTok users are 10 to 19 years of age.
Split by age, the single largest group of TikTok users is female 18-24 year-olds (23.8%).
"there is a clear preference among younger users. And creators are similarly young."
"he younger age groups can’t get enough of scrolling TikTok. In the U.S., those ages 10-19 accounted for 25% of TikTok’s active users."
"Many accounts on TikTok have become portals to some of the most dangerous and disturbing content on the internet. As private as they are, nearly anyone can join."{
"Don’t be shy, girl.
Come and join my post in private.
LET’S HAVE SOME FUN."
"TikTok under US government investigation on child sexual abuse material ..."
"Incidents of child sexual abuse on digital platforms is widespread, with 29.1m reports made to the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children in 2021, including 875,783 reported by Google, 154,618 reported by TikTok, and 86,666 from Twitter."
"TikTok – the perfect platform for sexual predators"
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2024
