Earlier this year, the US Government’s Office of Inspector General released a report detailing the online eating disorder website, Tiktok, which has links to China. It also highlighted the site’s privacy practices and the failure of moderation efforts. These practices were deemed to be unlawful by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of California, which is investigating Tiktok and the company that runs it.
Data protection laws
Earlier this year, TikTok was put under scrutiny by a variety of government agencies. This was followed by an investigation into its handling of children’s personal information. TikTok was found to have illegally collected email addresses, locations, and other information of underage children. In response to these concerns, TikTok agreed to delete all videos created by children under the age of 13. It has also agreed to pay a $5.7 million fine to the Federal Trade Commission for similar offenses in the US.
TikTok is the social networking app owned by Chinese company ByteDance. TikTok is used by more than one billion people around the world every month. TikTok generates billions of dollars in revenue.
TikTok has been under regulatory scrutiny in the US and Korea. TikTok has also been under scrutiny by the EU Commission after a series of child safety complaints. The Netherlands’ Data Protection Authority also recently announced an active investigation into TikTok’s data collection practices. TikTok may also have failed to protect the privacy of children in other regions. The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office has informed TikTok of its “provisional View” regarding the company’s processing of data of children under 13.
The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office warned TikTok of its “provisional view” and issued the firm with a notice of intent. This is the first legal document before the regulator can decide whether to fine TikTok. The ICO has the power to fine companies for up to four percent of their global turnover. This would be the largest fine in the ICO’s history.
The ICO’s provisional view is based on its examination of TikTok’s collection of personal data and its use of that data. The ICO believes TikTok may have violated data protection laws between May 2018 and July 2020. It has also found that TikTok did not provide children with adequate information about its data collection practices. TikTok also processed “special category data” without legal grounds. These data include genetic and biometric data, ethnic origin, political opinions, and religious beliefs.
Privacy practices
Earlier this year, the US government took an interest in the privacy practices of TikTok. This prompted a number of legislators to ask questions. Some questioned TikTok’s connection to China and its ability to protect user privacy.
TikTok is a Chinese-originated social platform that collects a lot of data. Its metadata includes user information like user name, phone number, location data, and how users sign up.
A few months ago, TikTok said that all US user data would be routed through Oracle servers. However, this policy change failed to address the most contentious question surrounding TikTok’s data collection practices. TikTok has no clear explanation for why it is collecting this information. It doesn’t specify which countries it will transfer the information to. Moreover, TikTok did not explain how it plans to limit employee access to the information.
In May, a group of privacy advocates filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. In the complaint, the group claims that TikTok has misrepresented its data management practices. The complaint highlights a number of problems with TikTok, including its ability to collect “special category” data without legal justification.
TikTok has denied ever disclosing personal data to the Chinese Communist Party. However, the company has admitted that staff in China have access to Australian users’ data. This is the first time the company has acknowledged that its staff can access user data overseas.
TikTok is a wildly popular short form video platform. It has about a billion users, and it is expanding its reach to younger audiences. However, it is not the only social media company whose data collection practices raise privacy concerns.
As a result of the concerns, the US Senate’s Intelligence Committee is conducting a deep dive on TikTok. Some members are concerned that the Chinese government could use TikTok for propaganda purposes.
Promotes eating disorders and suicide
Besides being a pain in the neck, eating disorders can have serious medical complications. Eating disorders also result in disordered thoughts and a false sense of reality. They can lead to depression and alcohol misuse.
Eating disorders have been linked to a host of other psychiatric illnesses, such as personality disorders. This association seems to be due to genetic factors.
Suicidal thoughts are a common occurrence in patients with eating disorders. The rate of completed suicide is 18 times higher in patients with anorexia nervosa compared with the general population.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has trained counselors to help you or your loved one. They can also provide you with resources. The internet is also a great source of information and support. Some young people use the internet to communicate with others who are also experiencing the same thing.
Although there is no single cause for suicide, several risk factors have been identified. These factors include older age, gender, and a history of physical or sexual abuse.
The best way to prevent suicide is to identify individuals at high risk for suicide, assess their risk and offer them appropriate treatment. This includes the treatment of acute psychiatric symptoms and monitoring. Treatment also includes promoting recovery and providing a range of coping skills to help individuals maintain their well-being.
The best way to find out if you or a loved one is at risk is to seek medical advice from a physician or mental health professional. Some factors to consider include the presence of a family history of suicide, a history of physical or sexual abuse, and anorexia nervosa.
The most obvious risk factor to consider is the presence of a co-occurring mental health disorder. The prevalence of eating disorders is fairly high among adolescents and young adults, and this is likely the reason.
Moderation work has been unsuccessful
Having been around for a few years now, TikTok has been under scrutiny. Whether it’s the shady tactics of the Chinese government, or the obnoxious employees of a local ad agency, TikTok is the subject of much discussion, and the media. The company is a juggernaut, but many of its employees have a hard time reconciling their petty tyrannies with the hefty compensation they’re due.
TikTok’s chief executive officer, Chew Tian, has been accused of making a few missteps along the way. One of the more conspicuous of them was the “odd” fact that the company’s most famous ad agency, Xaxis, is owned by a Chinese conglomerate. Another was the shady hiring of former Fox News journalist Candie Frazier. The company’s execs are a tightknit group, and employees are apprehensive about how to resist such interference. The company has a long list of thorns in its side, but a cursory review of the company’s latest ad campaigns reveals an unapologetic willingness to engage in shady behavior. The company has also gotten in on the tech craze, offering a free virtual tour of a few of its offices to journalists and politicians. But the company’s content moderation is a less than savory affair, with reports of content moderators spending 12-hour workdays combing through extreme content. The company also isn’t the only one guilty of censoring content.
The company’s most famous ad agency, Zoom, is also under the microscope, having been accused of handing over data to Chinese officials. TikTok executives have also been accused of trying to use its US headquarters to stymie their own investigation. The company has a monopoly on advertising in China, and is facing mounting legal challenges.
Ties to China
Throughout the Biden administration, the United States government has intensified its efforts to expose covert Chinese operations in the United States. In recent weeks, three new cases were unsealed, raising the stakes for the Biden administration’s ongoing counterintelligence investigation.
One Chinese national has pleaded guilty to charges for illegally exporting U.S. origin goods to a military university in China. In addition, seven Chinese citizens have been charged with a scheme to force a Chinese-born U.S. resident to return to China. These cases, along with the ties to China of at least two other people, raise questions about the integrity of the U.S. judiciary.
Another case involves a Chinese man who has been charged with bank fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. The man had strong ties to China and pleaded guilty in November of 2020.
The FBI’s investigation of a suspected Chinese intelligence operative developed in part due to contacts made by the operative with members of Congress and local officials. The FBI was alerted to the alleged Chinese influence activities by a staffer in the office of Senator Dianne Feinstein. The staffer was responsible for liaising with local Chinese community members and members of the Chinese government.
Another case involves a Chinese national who was charged with conspiracy to steal trade secrets and economic espionage. The man had been working at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and had received more than $1 million in grants.
Two other people were charged with obstruction of justice for attempting to bribe an employee of the U.S. Federal Reserve. The employees were accused of providing classified information in exchange for incentives. In addition, the FBI says the employees were enlisted by Chinese officials to provide the information for incentives.
