Australia’s privacy watchdog has launched a probe into TikTok’s excessive data collection and its possible access by Chinese workers, after a Canberra cybersecurity firm revealed many examples of possible overreach.
Internet 2.0 studied the app’s source code, and found TikTok is constantly tracking user location, accessing user contacts, and maps all running and installed apps, calendars and external storage.
TikTok recently admitted that certain staffers in China can access all this data.
While Australian staff at TikTok have vehemently denied they would ever hand over private data to Chinese authorities, workers in Mainland China may not have this luxury.
China’s National Intelligence Law of 2017 requires them to “support, assist and co-operate with the state intelligence work”.
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) said: “We are considering privacy concerns raised in the Internet 2.0 report in line with our regulatory action policy.
“In regards to consent, individuals need to be provided with genuine choices around how their personal information will be handled, and those choices need to be inherently fair. Members of the public should also review their privacy settings regularly,” the OAIC said.
Internet 2.0’s report found TikTok is relentless with its access requests, to calendars, external storage, GPS locations, and other sensitive information.
“It is normal for an application to initially request access to contacts but TikTok’s persistent, endless harassment for user contacts access is abnormal,” the report said.
“It reflects a culture that does not prioritise privacy or a user’s preferences for privacy.”
TikTok said of the OAIC probe: “We reached out to the OAIC with whom we are now in correspondence.
“Given the many inaccuracies and mistakes in Internet 2.0’s report, we look forward to providing a clearer and more accurate picture to the commissioner.”
