TikTok Data Mining Weaponry

originally posted by: IndieA

originally posted by: NoCorruptionAllowed
Wow! 20 gigs in the background is sounding like a super weapon, like a botnet streaming directly to the PRC military.

My wife began using WeChat (a couple years ago) since she is from China and it is popular, and then I got a warning of excessive mobile data caused by it so I turned off mobile data and background data on her phone only allowing WiFi.

It sounds like TikTok and WeChat have the same ingredients of PRC spying/data mining coded right in.

I wonder how many gigs 24/7 audio collect would generate, and likewise, how many gigs 24/7 video collection would create.

I believe the real point here is that a chat program should use very little background data when you aren't actually chatting or using it.

A chat program loaded on startup of a phone when the app isn't maximized or being used has no business generating gigabytes of data usage, unless it is doing things that it really isn't supposed to be doing.

a reply to: NoCorruptionAllowed

Yeah, so when 10's of gigs are being transferred for no apparent reason, something has to be taking place.

I would lean towards audio, video, and meta data collection.

ChatGPT told me that 24/7 audio collection would generate an estimated 2.2 gigs/month.

Collecting the forward facing camera footage from a user, along with their internet browsing data, can be an additional analytic tool.

I suggest people tape the cameras on their phones. Some of us already do.

"What they don't know, won't hurt you." Someone with good advice.

a reply to: IndieA

To think they wouldn't is quite short sighted...

a reply to: IndieA

Hiding data collection would possibly be illegal and is morally wrong.

When you combine Capitalism, constant pursuit of consumers and the internet.....you can throw illegal and morally wrong in the trash down at Mayberry RFD.

a reply to: olaru12

My point is, why hide your data collection, when you can get people to agree to allow you to collect it?

There are still some privacy laws in place, and people who value their privacy.

originally posted by: Terpene
a reply to: Degradation33

Everyone needs to feed their AI beast...

I was looking at the task manager one day to see what stuff was running in the background… lo and behold there was something with ai in the name… windows 10 had it embedded now to enhance our lil spellcheckers and give us neat ideas on what ai thinks we are thinking(or maybe wants us to think).

a reply to: IndieA



you do, without knowing it.

none of the galaxies come with tiktok. a reply to: Degradation33

originally posted by: Degradation33

I've had it with that insidious app.

Buy a brand new Galaxy and it's preloaded. No problem I thought. Won't use it, but whatever.

It then proceeds to use up 14 gb of data in 3 weeks without me touching it.

So I said, "Okay you [expletives], gonna just delete your precious app! Ha! I win, China!"

Well, not quite.

It's the only deleted app on my new phone.

And it managed 20 GB of background data. That's more than the entirety of YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter combined three times over. Must be collecting a hell of a profile.

I don't care how [expletive] big they say their video library is, there is no way thats all on the level. And there is no reason why I should have to toggle off background data just to stop this [expletive] deleted Chinese app from still mining my data.

And that Samsung encourages it through app pre-installation makes me wonder what Korean exec got his dump truck full of China money.

Sickens me because I have to go through multiple steps just to stop this Chinese state-owned app from mining data through my phone without my permission.

China's trip has always been, "Ret China do china" Well China needs to stop "doing China" on my phone without my consent.

I put this in weaponry, because TikTok is a weapon, it's China's nosey meta weapon that probably drives content which undermines its rivals. Someone should probably do something about these overt Chinese interests mining American data. No? Gotta wait a few years?

F' of China.

Question. What do you think Chinese computer chips do?

a. Only their job as described
B. Collect data

I can't comprehend why people use this. It was never designed to be a social media app, it was architected to be a spy app wrapped in social media clothes, not the other way around. National intel of almost every western country told you this.

The prior president tried to ban it for this very reason. Even the current president conceded and banned it on gov't devices. The Biden literally agreed with the Trump and people just can't control themselves and still use it.

Yes, all social media collects data. No, they aren't all designed to collect it and send it to the CCP to weaponize info and collect intel. That said, social media is terrible for you regardless of data collection.

It's like telling people that the stove is hot and they complain when they put their hands all over it and get burned.

Disney execs literally told parents they are grooming their kids at every opportunity and people still raise their kids on D+, so go figure. You can't fix willfully derelict people.