No matter how many data breach findings are exposed or how many times they leave you with a dead battery, it’s time to admit it: social media apps aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. People will continue to download them because they offer both a fun distraction and a way to stay connected to people we know (and will never meet) and feel closer to the outside world. But there may come a time when your iPhone is refusing to work as well as it once did (thanks to battery drainage). Or you may become seriously concerned that some of the apps you love are invading your privacy beyond what makes you comfortable. If you’re thinking about deleting an app or two, tech experts say this is the worst social media app to download to your iPhone.
TikTok
When it comes to apps that are most likely to leak your data, Tech Expert Stephen Curry, CEO of CocoSign, is among the experts who say TikTok is a huge offender.
“Don’t get shocked because it knows everything you write even if you never send it, everything you touch on the screen, and everything you are interested in,” Curry says. “The social media app could leak details scrapped from different social media accounts, such as the account holder’s name, gender, age, and records of profile images. Some records contain email addresses and phone numbers. Even worse is the app knows the device you are using and collects your device identifiers for tracking your interactions with advertisers. It also knows your IP address, location, search history, and message contents.”
TikTok starts to obtain your information as soon as you have arrived on the platform, according to Curry. “It doesn’t matter whether you sign in or not; it gathers your data through cookies and other trackers. After you sign up for an account, the social network will collect your activities and preferences based on what you watch the most.”
Deleting the TikTok app or never downloading it in the first place is the only way to ensure it doesn’t collect your data. But, if you enjoy using TikTok and can’t delete it, Curry says there are a few things you can do to use it safely, as he outlines:
*Use the TikTok privacy setting: It is known as “personalized ads” that allows you to stop the social channel from using your data to target you with ads.
*Deselect “suggest my account to others”: Disable TikTok from suggesting your account to other users, and if possible, add a limit, so your account is only searchable for those you are already connected with.
*Use Two Factor Authentication to log in: Add your phone number to enable verification in the login process, which minimizes the risk that someone with malicious intents can hack into your account.
