Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- TikTok faces a potential U.S. ban due to national security concerns.
- Utah cybersecurity expert Mary Kent warns of data risks with Chinese-owned apps.
- Users express mixed feelings, with some seeking alternatives like RedNote.
OREM – With a possible TikTok ban looming, many users are questioning why the app might go away and where they'll consume content next.
TikTok's owner, Chinese company ByteDance, has until Sunday to divest the platform, or it will be banned in the U.S.
Members of the Supreme Court have indicated they will uphold the ban.
Many TikTok users said they are willing to take the risks and keep the app.
"Your own personal safety should not be overshadowed by your desire for popularity," Mary Kent, director of Utah Valley University's open-source intelligence center, said.
The cybersecurity expert said TikTok users should look at the bigger picture.
"China can draw a lot of information from actual social media ownership," Kent said. "If you just went onto the internet and went onto Facebook, you could find a lot of information about people. You can find information on their families, where they live, where their kids go to school, things like that."
She said U.S. officials see Chinese-owned social media platforms that collect our data as a national security risk.
"China has very specific things they're looking for government-wise, information-wise and put within their programs the ability to use information however they see fit," Kent said.
KSL-TV asked UVU students how they felt about the potential ban.
"I'd be kind of sad if I lost all the videos that I posted," Vincent Sanchez said. "I don't really care if they're taking my information; they're just going to see, like, what are they going to see? My gym workouts?"
Some took issue with TikTok's parent company.
"I honestly think that it's a good thing if it's like Chinese-based; if it was owned in America, it'd be fine to stay," Brady Crane said.
He deleted TikTok because of how time-consuming it was. He said he does have some privacy concerns about many apps.
"Data leaks and having our personal information, leaked, passwords, iCloud, things like that are all connected on our phones," Crane said. "When we sign into TikTok, who has access to information? Even though I feel like everyone kind of already has access, it feels like we have no privacy anyways nowadays."
Others weren't aware of security concerns with TikTok's Chinese owner.
"Maybe I should be more concerned about it," Brynelle Smith said.
She said she gets a lot of her news from the app.
"I don't really know where to turn to now for that sort of thing. I don't know what's going on in the world as much," Smith said.
Kent said to be vigilant about what you post and where.
"We have enemies out there who are wanting to threaten the United States, not necessarily with coming in and fighting us on our own land, I'm talking about utilizing our information to exploit us," she said.
She said many don't look over the privacy policies in fine print.
"If you are actually behind the social media app, you have created the algorithms," Kent said. "You've created everything that draws that information."
That includes things like who you are, where you live, where your family is, where you work.
"These are the kinds of things other nations use to leverage and get information from people," Kent said.
A lot of people are flocking to TikTok alternatives, including RedNote. It's also Chinese-owned. Many users are downloading it in protest of the potential TikTok ban.
Kent looked into the app's privacy policies, which she translated from Mandarin.
"It states there that, within their use of information, it is free, nonexclusive, irrevocable use of information for anyone who gets on that particular platform," Kent said.
She said be vigilant about what you post online and where.
"Even if TikTok is banned, there's going to be another app that takes its place," Kent said. "It's like a Hydra — you cut off one head, and three more grow in its place."
