China has not, has not, and will not have any influence on TikTok,” Jakub Olek, TikTok’s director of communications for Central and Eastern Europe, said in an interview. How does the company respond to allegations of espionage, ties to the Chinese Communist Party, or misuse of children’s data? Read it yourself.
Media posts show TikTok in a unified and fairly simple way. It is an extremely popular social network that has attracted billions of users around the world, including the youngest ones. On TikTok, people become Internet stars, create new trends, earn decent money, grow their businesses, and more.
At the same time, be wary of TikTok - judging by the headlines, the application from the Far East collects huge amounts of data, it may be addicting to our children, and who knows if it is not spying on us on behalf of Chinese intelligence.
Therefore, we decided to ask the stakeholders about the doubts that are accumulating. Jakub Olek, Head of PR for TikTok in Central and Eastern Europe, answers questions about data collection, ties to the Chinese Communist Party, and scandals, fines or bans described in the media.
Krzysztof Sobepan, Wprost.pl: According to Google Play, TikTok collects 11 types of user data. Why are there so many?
Jakub Olek, TikTok: The data we collect is related to the nature and profile of TikTok’s activities. We are an entertainment platform where a community of users creates and publishes video content. The first type of data is information visible to all users. This could be our profile, content posted on TikTok, likes, comments, and so on.
The second big group is the data we collect for business purposes - mainly for marketing purposes. We use the data to improve the app and your TikTok experience. We also use data describing users to better target groups in our clients’ advertising materials.
When it comes to the data collected by TikTok, it is worth remembering that we are an organization just like all other platforms operating in the market. We are also bound by the same rules - both locally and Europeanly - such as the GDPR.
Another thing is our privacy policy. Anyone can read it on the official website. It simply and clearly shows what user data we collect and how we use it. TikTok collects no more data than similar platforms participating in the social media market.
TikTok collects user location data, including for analytics and marketing purposes. Could you explain in more detail what this means?
It is worth noting that when it comes to location data, we collect it, but based on it it is impossible to accurately determine the location of a particular user.
Remember that we do not collect personalized data, they are subject to the so-called anonymization process. By default - unless the user decides otherwise - this is also an approximate location, i.e. accurate to a few square kilometers. Not with a “pin” placed exactly where the user is.
We use location for marketing purposes. For example, show noteworthy restaurants near you. In this way, small companies operating locally can target their message to a specific group of potential customers.
In addition, we track it, including for legal reasons. For example, licenses to use music are usually signed for specific regions or countries.
In justified cases, TikTok employees may access location data. These include, for example, situations that threaten life or health, i.e. circumstances that require an urgent response from the relevant services. It’s still not a click away.
We have advanced security protocols and it is assumed that as few people as possible have access to information. A particular employee must request a very accurate set of data and justify such an action. The decision to grant access is usually made by a couple of people, including a representative of the relevant TikTok trust and safety department at that location.
I would compare this process to entering a secure building, such as a government building. A person who wants to enter there must name the exact reason for the visit, receive confirmation from the employees from inside, and even then he will be let in, say, to the first floor - he will not be given the keys to all the doors. In addition, the guards will continue to monitor her actions.
Why does TikTok want to know my home address?
This is one of those settings that the user can decide for himself. Entering an address is optional. This allows the app to match content to our location even more accurately or give the user even better recommendations in their area.
In addition, this is also a potentially useful feature in the context of online shopping - then you can use the autofill option. However, this information is not required for the application to work, so we leave the decision up to everyone.
What’s with the phone number? According to Google Play, it can be used “for marketing purposes.” Hope PV doesn’t start calling me?
Source: Wprost
I have been working as a news website writer for over 10 years. I have also authored several books on technology news. I am highly knowledgeable in the field of technology and enjoy sharing my insights with others. I am an active user of LinkedIn and use it to connect with other professionals in my field. I am always interested in learning new things and sharing my knowledge with others.
