If there’s one world we know you don’t want to live in – it’s one with no TikTok…
Just imagine, you’re sitting in bed after a long days work, you open up your phone and TikTok is gone forever. It makes you think, what did we even do before the popular application?
HITC have explored everything you need to know about TikTok being banned from the App Store, along with some reactions to the news from social media users…
Apple and Google asked to remove TikTok
Brendan Carr, a Federal Communications Commissioner, has given Apple and Google until the 8th of July to respond to their demands to remove TikTok from their stores.
In his open letter to the organisations, Carr explained that there are major security concerns when it comes to TikTok. He wrote:
“TikTok is not what it appears to be on the surface. It is not just an app for sharing funny videos or memes. That’s the sheep’s clothing. At its core, TikTok functions as a sophisticated surveillance tool that harvests extensive amounts of personal and sensitive data.“
He also added:
“Indeed, TikTok collects everything from search and browsing histories to keystroke patterns and biometric identifiers, including faceprints-which researchers have said might be used in unrelated facial recognition technology–and voiceprints. It collects location data as well as draft messages and metadata, plus it has collected the text, images, and videos that are stored on a device’s clipboard.“
This isn’t the first time TikTok was almost removed
If you’re wondering why the news feels like deja vu – we’re here to tell you you’re not going crazy.
In fact, this isn’t the first time that TikTok users thought it was the end of the road. In 2020, Donald Trump ordered the ban of TikTok across America, which sent the country into a meltdown.
However, after Joe Biden replaced Trump as the president of the United States in 2021, he also replaced some of his existing arrangements. Biden announced that the ban would not be going ahead, and instead they would be taking an “evidence-based approach.”
As TikTok is one of the most popular apps of all time, it’s no surprise that users have flooded social media with their thoughts on the matter.
Not only would the removal of TikTok from the App Store mean a loss for entertainment, but famous U.S TikTokers will also be out of a job the next morning.
One Twitter user wrote: “What am I gonna do if Apple really does remove TikTok from its App Store.”
Others think that the ban is for the best, as one user commented: “I wish people really understood the damage being done just by having a specific app on their phone. This is dangerous stuff and most of America let’s their kids play with it everyday.”
In other news, Brits in disbelief as tweet claims fuel prices are 70p cheaper in Gibraltar
