Govt bans 59 Chinese apps including TikTok as border tensions simmer in Ladakh

As tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China continues, the Government of India has decided to ban on 59 Chinese apps, including Tik Tok.

The government of India has decided to ban 59 apps of Chinese origin as border tensions simmer in Ladakh after a violent, fatal face-off between the Indian and Chinese armies. The list of apps banned by the government includes TikTok, which is extremely popular.

The government announced the ban on the 59 Chinese apps (full list below) Monday night. The government said these apps were engaged in activities that were prejudicial to the sovereignty, integrity and defence of India.

A government press release announcing the ban stated: "The Ministry of Information Technology, invoking it’s power under section 69A of the Information Technology Act read with the relevant provisions of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules 2009 and in view of the emergent nature of threats has decided to block 59 apps since in view of information available they are engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order".

The press release further said that the Ministry of Information Technology has received "many representations raising concerns from citizens regarding security of data and risk to privacy relating to operation of certain apps".

👉🏼 Read more:
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/centre-announces-ban-chinese-apps-privacy-issues-1695265-2020-06-29

#china #india #apps #privacy #TikTok #DeleteTikTok
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Anonymous Hackers Target TikTok: ‘Delete This Chinese Spyware Now’

“Delete TikTok now,” the account tweeted today, July 1, “if you know someone that is using it, explain to them that it is essentially malware operated by the Chinese government running a massive spying operation.”

https://twitter.com/YourAnonCentral/status/1278204068175818752?s=20

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2020/07/01/anonymous-targets-tiktok-delete-this-chinese-spyware-now/

#anonymous #hacked #TikTok #DeleteTikTok
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Yes, TikTok Really Is Spying On You For China—New Report

Aa new report from the cyber experts at ProtonMail has called those denials into question. “Beware,” it warns, “the social media giant not only collects troves of personal data on you, but also cooperates with the CCP, extending China’s surveillance and censorship reach beyond its borders.”

💡 👉🏼 How much user data does TikTok collect?

As with just about every social media platform, the answer is: “a lot.” According to its privacy policy, even if you just download and open the app but never create an account, TikTok will collect your:

❗️ IP address

❗️ Browsing history (i.e., the content you viewed on TikTok)

❗️ Mobile carrier

❗️ Location data if you are using a mobile device (including GPS coordinates and WiFi and mobile cell data)

❗️ Info on the device you used to access TikTok (for Android devices, this includes your IMEI number, which is essentially your device’s fingerprint so it can be identified, and potentially your IMSI number, which is used to track users from one phone to another)

‼️ To open an account, you must enter a phone number or email and your date of birth. Once you have created an account, TikTok asks your permission for access to your social media accounts (like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.), your phone’s contact list, and GPS data.

💡 👉🏼 Once you start using the app, TikTok logs details about:

❗️ Every video you upload

❗️ How long you watch videos

❗️ Which videos you like

❗️ Which videos you share

‼️ Any messages you exchange in the app

💡 ‼️ TikTok’s data collection is extreme, even for a social media platform that collects its users’ data to serve them with targeted ads. And TikTok explicitly states in its privacy policy that it shares your browsing data and email address with third parties so that it can serve you with targeted advertising.

👉🏼 https://protonmail.com/blog/tiktok-privacy

👉🏼 https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2020/07/25/beware-tiktok-really-is-spying-on-you-new-security-report-update-trump-pompeo-china-warning/

#DeleteTikTok #tiktok #china #usa #security #privacy #report #protonmail #thinkabout
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US will ban Tiktok on September 15 unless an American company buys it, says Trump

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday said the popular Chinese app, TikTok, would be banned in the country beginning September 15, unless it is bought by an American company and asserted that a substantial amount of the buyout deal should go to the treasury.

Technology giant Microsoft is in talks with TikTok's parent company ByteDance to buy its US operation.
However, the president is in favour of a complete 100 per cent purchase and not the 30 per cent as reportedly being negotiated now.

Trump confirmed to reporters that he spoke to Microsoft's India-born CEO Satya Nadella on the issue.
"We had a great conversation. He (Nadella) called me to see how I felt about it. I said, look, it can't be controlled for security reasons by China...(its) too big, too invasive. It can't be...I don't mind whether it's Microsoft or somebody else, a big company...American company buys it. It's probably easier to buy the whole thing rather than to buy 30 per cent of it," Trump told reporters in the Cabinet Room of the White House.

"I said how do you do 30 per cent? Who's going to get the name. The name is hot. The brand is hot. Who's going to get the name and who is going to get that when it's owned by two different companies. So, my personal opinion was, you probably better off buying the whole thing rather than buying 30 per cent of it. I think buying 30 per cent is complicated and I suggested that he can go ahead. He can try," he said.

Trump said he has "set a date at around September 15 at which point it (TikTok) is going to be out of business in the United States".

However, he said, "If somebody, whether it's Microsoft or somebody else buys it. That would be interesting, I did say that if you buy it, whatever the price is that goes to whoever owns it."
Trump said there would have to be a substantial payment to the US government as part of the deal.

👀 👉🏼 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/us-will-ban-tiktok-on-sept-15-unless-an-american-company-buys-it-says-trump/articleshow/77338623.cms

#ToddlerTrump #USA #TikTok #DeleteTikTok
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Trump forces Tiktok owner Bytedance to reverse the Musical.ly acquisition

On Friday evening US President Donald Trump signed an order forcing the Tiktok owner Bytedance to reverse the 2017 acquisition of the US video service Musical.ly or to destroy all US data.

👀 👉🏼 PDF:
https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/EO-on-TikTok-8-14-20.pdf

#TikTok #DeleteTikTok #bytedance #musically #USA #ToddlerTrump #pdf
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Trump may exert pressure on other Chinese firms like Alibaba after TikTok ban

US ordered its Chinese owner ByteDance on Friday to divest the U.S. operations of TikTok within 90 days, the latest effort to ramp up pressure over concerns about the safety of the personal data it handles.

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he could exert pressure on more Chinese companies such as technology giant Alibaba after he moved to ban TikTok.

Asked at a news conference whether there were other particular China-owned companies he was considering a ban on, such as Alibaba, Trump replied: "Well, we're looking at other things, yes."

Trump has been piling pressure on Chinese-owned companies, such as by vowing to ban short-video app TikTok from the United States. The United States ordered its Chinese owner ByteDance on Friday to divest the U.S. operations of TikTok within 90 days, the latest effort to ramp up pressure over concerns about the safety of the personal data it handles.

Trump, who has made changing the US-China trade relationship a central theme of his presidency, has been sharply critical of China while also praising its purchases of agriculture products such as soybeans and corn as part of a trade agreement reached late last year.

👀 👉🏼 🇬🇧 https://www.businesstoday.in/current/world/trump-may-exert-pressure-on-other-chinese-firms-like-alibaba-after-tiktok-ban/story/413099.html

👀 👉🏼 🇩🇪 https://t3n.de/news/trump-verbot-tiktok-alibaba-1312124

#bytedance #DeleteTikTok #alibaba #USA #ToddlerTrump
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The Last Sunny Corner of the Internet? - Setting the Record Straight

The USA accuses Tiktok of lacking data security. With a new platform, Tiktok wants to set things right and win back trust.

While US President Donald Trump criticizes Tiktok's alleged lack of security, the Chinese company is publishing its own website with information on the subject. "In view of the rumours and misinformation about Tiktok that are spreading in Washington and in the media, we should set things right," writes Tiktok there.

👀 👉🏼 https://www.tiktokus.info/

#DeleteTikTok #thinkabout
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Walmart is teaming up with Microsoft on TikTok bid

Walmart confirmed it's teaming up with Microsoft in a bid for TikTok.

TikTok is nearing an agreement to sell its U.S., Canadian, Australian and New Zealand operations in a deal that's likely to be in the $20 billion to $30 billion range, sources say.

In a statement, the big-box retailer said TikTok's integration of e-commerce and advertising "is a clear benefit to creators and users in those markets."

Walmart said it's teaming up with Microsoft in a bid for TikTok.

The retail giant confirmed to CNBC that it's interested in buying the popular short-form video application.

Walmart shares are up nearly 5% on the news.

TikTok's Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance, is nearing an agreement to sell its U.S., Canadian, Australian and New Zealand operations in a deal that's likely to be in the $20 billion to $30 billion range, sources say. It has not yet chosen a buyer, but could announce the deal in coming days, the sources say.

With Walmart's confirmation, it joins several others trying to acquire the tech company, including Oracle.

Walmart is pursuing the acquisition at a time when it's trying to better compete with Amazon. It plans to launch a membership program, called Walmart+, soon. The subscription-based service is the retailer's answer to Amazon Prime, which includes original TV shows and movies.

In a statement, the big-box retailer said TikTok's integration of e-commerce and advertising "is a clear benefit to creators and users in those markets." It did not say how it would use TikTok or whether it would be part of Walmart+.

"We believe a potential relationship with TikTok US in partnership with Microsoft could add this key functionality and provide Walmart with an important way for us to reach and serve omnichannel customers as well as grow our third-party marketplace and advertising businesses," it said. "We are confident that a Walmart and Microsoft partnership would meet both the expectations of US TikTok users while satisfying the concerns of US government regulators."

👀 👉🏼 https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/27/walmart-is-teaming-up-with-microsoft-on-tiktok-bid.html

#walmart #microsoft #tiktok #DeleteTikTok
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Exclusive: ByteDance asks TikTok to draw up U.S. shutdown contingencies

(Reuters) - China’s ByteDance told engineers of its popular short-video app TikTok this week to make contingencies should it need to shut down its U.S. operations, even as it works toward divesting them, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

ByteDance has been ordered by President Donald Trump to divest TikTok in the United States, amid security concerns over the personal data it handles. Microsoft Corp and Oracle Corp are among U.S. companies vying to acquire the assets of TikTok, which claims about 100 million monthly active users in the U.S. ByteDance is expected to pick a bidder to enter into exclusive talks as early as Friday, according to the sources.

Trump issued an executive order on Aug. 6 that would ban transactions with TikTok and its Chinese parent in 45 days. While TikTok has filed a lawsuit challenging the order, it is preparing for the possibility that it will have to shut down if it has not reached a deal with an acquirer by mid-September, the sources said. It hopes that any shutdown would be temporary, the sources added.

A sale would have to be greenlighted by both the United States and Chinese governments. The shutdown contingencies are also aimed at preparing TikTok’s global operations for the possibility that one of the two countries blocks any deal, the sources said.

ByteDance told TikTok engineers in a memo this week to draw up plans for shutting down the app in the United States, the sources said.

👀 👉🏼 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-tiktok-shutdown-exclusive/exclusive-bytedance-asks-tiktok-to-draw-up-u-s-shutdown-contingencies-sources-idUSKBN25N2ZS

👀 👉🏼 🇩🇪 https://t3n.de/news/einstellungsstopp-tiktok-1317065/

#tiktok #DeleteTikTok #bytedance #china #usa #trump #ToddlerTrump
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ByteDance won't allow TikTok's algorithm to be part of a sale: Report

As the deadline for a forced sale or shutdown of the U.S. operations of the TikTok video-sharing app fast approaches, ByteDance is said to have decided its algorithm won't be part of any sale that happens.

September 15, the date by which U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered ByteDance to either sell TikTok to a U.S. company or see the service banned from the U.S. market, is looming. Today, September 13, The South China Morning Post is reporting (based on an unnamed source that the SCMP says was briefed on the Chinese company's boardroom discussions) that ByteDance has decided TikTok's algorithm won't be included as part of the sale.

So now the question is will a sale still happen by Tuesday? Will Microsoft and Walmart, Oracle -- with close ties to Trump -- and/or various TikTok investors still see enough value in TikTok to push forward with a purchase? And for how much?

Even before today's report about terms around the algorithm, there were questions whether a sale would happen at all. The Wall Street Journal reported on September 9 that ByteDance was discussing with the U.S. government various possible arrangements that would allow TikTok to avoid a full sale of its U.S. operations. And before that, the Chinese government had put in place steps designed to make a sale to a U.S. company more difficult, if not impossible.

👀 👉🏼 https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3101362/tiktoks-algorithm-not-sale-bytedance-tells-us-source

👀 👉🏼 https://www.zdnet.com/article/bytedance-wont-allow-tiktoks-algorithm-to-be-part-of-a-sale-report

#report #TikTok #DeleteTikTok #china #usa #sale #algorithm
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Breaking: USA bans WeChat and TikTok from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store

Starting from September 20, 2020

The US Commerce Department has announced prohibitions banning people in the US from downloading TikTok and WeChat in reponse to a pair of executive orders signed by US President Donald Trump in August.

In a press release on the matter, the US Department of Commerce noted: “The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has demonstrated the means and motives to use these apps to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and the economy of the U.S. Today’s announced prohibitions, when combined, protect users in the U.S. by eliminating access to these applications and significantly reducing their functionality.”

Speaking on the matter, US Department of Commerce Secretary, Wilbur Ross, was quoted saying, “Today’s actions prove once again that President Trump will do everything in his power to guarantee our national security and protect Americans from the threads of the Chinese Communist Party…At the President’s direction, we have taken significant action to combat China’s malicious collection of American citizens’ personal data, while promoting our national values, democratic rules-based norms, and aggressive enforcement of U.S. laws and regulations.”

The new prohibitions on TikTok and WeChat will go into effect on September 20th, 2020. As part of the new directive, the following transactions are prohibited:

1. Any provision of service to distribute or maintain the WeChat or TikTok mobile applications, constituent code, or application updates through an online mobile application store in the U.S.

2. Any provision of services through the WeChat mobile application for the purpose of transferring funds or processing payments within the U.S.

👀 👉🏼 https://www.xda-developers.com/usa-bans-wechat-tiktok-google-play-store-apple-app-store/

#usa #ban #tiktok #wechat #DeleteTikTok #bytedance
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