TIKTOK’s update
Reading the fine print can seem like a menial, overwhelming task for many. I know I’ve been guilty of hitting the “I agree” or “I understand” without truly knowing what I’m agreeing to. With an app as popular and culturally influential as TikTok, every update can feel routine, especially after the scare last year when millions of people in America thought it was the end of the content-filled app. Now with Oracle overseeing U.S. data operations, TikTok is back for good, as many would think. However, the latest changes to TikTok’s terms of service have raised a few eyebrows that are hard to ignore
If you aren’t familiar with TikTok, then let me give you a brief introduction to the uber-popular app. TikTok is a platform that enables users to create content in the form of varied-length videos, which can land some users straight into stardom. During its rise of fame during the pandemic, dances were the most common forms of content that you’d see, launching the careers of Charli D’Amelio and now turned artist Addison Rae. Today, TikTok encompasses so many genres, niches, and types of content that can be accessed and shared through the app. Artists in the music industry can use the traction from the app to create their next chart-topping song, and shows such as Heated Rivalry can become the talking point of social and cultural conversation.
TIKTOK’s CHANGES
But the most recent update of TikTok’s policies has shifted away from entertainment and toward privacy. With Oracle now involved in managing TikTok’s U.S. user data, people have some concerns. To be clear, Oracle doesn’t own TikTok, but it’s now responsible for hosting and managing U.S. data. The corporation is known for selling database software that not only creates other software for businesses but also manages and analyzes data. Many argue that much of what the company does hides behind the hard-to-read size 5 font in lengthy privacy terms and conditions. Utilizing the techniques of complex fine print and its partnerships with our federal government, people are concerned about their rights and protections that seem to be in the hands of these two entities.
One of the most alarming parts of TikTok’s updated terms is that it involves the expansion of data collection, where the new geolocation settings have been termed as “predatory” and “beyond invasive” by CBSNews for users. This is especially concerning, as the app can now collect a user’s precise location data; essentially, you could be tracked 24/7. There is an option to turn off the location service feature, but many may not know this after simply clicking agree to the new terms and service conditions.
THE concerns
In addition to the updated geolocation capabilities, the collection of sensitive information with data ranging from racial origin, religious beliefs, immigration status, age, financial information, etc., could all be collected and seemingly stored away in one of the many data servers that Oracle owns. With recent events of increased immigration enforcement attacks on our society, the knowledge that sensitive information such as your current immigration status and location is a terrifying scenario.
In a social climate where the midst of misinformation and distrust is so rampant in our society, it’s up to us, the people, to become informed and share what we know to help educate others. Everyone deserves the human right to exist and create, for anyone who may want to take part or appreciate the work. The privacy changes we’re seeing in the U.S. aren’t just small policy updates but reflect a shift in how corporations and government institutions handle our rights. I hope that, through creations like this article, I can become a creator who informs and pushes for greater transparency, so that our communities can stay safe, aware, and empowered.