Comment from Varonis: Microsoft discuss potential TikTok purchase in the US
August 2020 by Matt Lock, Technical Director UK at Varonis
Following the news around Microsoft entering into discussions with TikTok to purchase the USA business – Matt Lock, technical director UK at Varonis offers the following comment:
“Should the tech giant move forward with the purchase, they would need to update the app and remove some of the more questionable permissions and data collection practices. The company would also need to determine where the data must be stored to ensure compliance with the GDPR and other privacy regulations. Perhaps most alarming is that a seemingly fun and innocent app with a pronounced nefarious side has swept the world.
Our cell phones hold our data and our lives, and questionable apps are useful tools for third parties to mine data while working in the background. Users should treat their cell phones as they would their house: would you let a stranger inside in the middle of the night? Probably not. It’s probably not a good idea to download apps you haven’t thoroughly researched either.”