Arkansas cybersecurity expert discusses Gov Sanders TikTok ban
Governor Sanders wasted no time after being sworn in last Tuesday. She signed a number of executive orders including one banning TikTok on all government devices. "The problem is TikTok is owned by Bytedance which is government owned. the Chinese government has a huge share in that," said Eyal Gallico with Apollo Cybersecurity & IT Services in Rogers.That raises security concerns about private information being syphoned out."The privacy goes out the window when you have this app on your phone."According to Gallico and other cybersecurity experts, it all begins when you install the app, then expands as you use it."So the biggest fear with TikTok is they are behind the scenes accessing this information that contains all your life," said Gallico. "You have your credit card number, your cell phone number, your geolocation, your privacy settings. They can access all the information on your apps and all this information is going to their cloud somewhere in China. That is the biggest fear."Texas universities blocked access to TikTok on campus wi-fi networks this week, as ordered by Governor Abbott. A representative at the University of Arkansas said they are reviewing the similar order from Governor Sanders."Apple offered the 'do not track' option last year and Google has something very similar but still, you never know where it’s going to go behind the scenes."
Governor Sanders wasted no time after being sworn in last Tuesday. She signed a number of executive orders including one banning TikTok on all government devices.
"The problem is TikTok is owned by Bytedance which is government owned. the Chinese government has a huge share in that," said Eyal Gallico with Apollo Cybersecurity & IT Services in Rogers.
That raises security concerns about private information being syphoned out.
"The privacy goes out the window when you have this app on your phone."
According to Gallico and other cybersecurity experts, it all begins when you install the app, then expands as you use it.
"So the biggest fear with TikTok is they are behind the scenes accessing this information that contains all your life," said Gallico. "You have your credit card number, your cell phone number, your geolocation, your privacy settings. They can access all the information on your apps and all this information is going to their cloud somewhere in China. That is the biggest fear."
Texas universities blocked access to TikTok on campus wi-fi networks this week, as ordered by Governor Abbott. A representative at the University of Arkansas said they are reviewing the similar order from Governor Sanders.
"Apple offered the 'do not track' option last year and Google has something very similar but still, you never know where it’s going to go behind the scenes."
Gloss