Explain to an idiot like me what tiktok will do with my data (evil laughs optional)

veryangryman

Im thinking maybe theyll use facial recognition technology to put together patterns etc but i really cant see many evil applications.

cml387

Used as evidence of the precipitate decline of Western Civilisation as a prelude to easy invasion and enslavement, obvs.

Montage of Feck

It will not be obviously noticable what the Chinese, more specifically the CCP , are up to but make no mistake they are bad actors in this. They are experts in social engineering and the application of technology to maintain totalitarian control.

It's the subtle things they do are the most chilling, check out what they've been doing in predictive text never mind the social credit system.

StupidLikeAFox

Look at the Cambridge Analytica accusations, they are gathering data that can be used to target you and influence your decisions. They might just use it to sell you a toothbrush, but they could use it to influence your decision in an election.

And before you say "I don't watch ads", with tiktok (and other social media) they have the ability to push posts, videos etc to craft your opinions on things. If they have your data they can potentially work out what pushes your buttons

StupidLikeAFox

Look at the Cambridge Analytica accusations, they are gathering data that can be used to target you and influence your decisions. They might just use it to sell you a toothbrush, but they could use it to influence your decision in an election.

And before you say "I don't watch ads", with tiktok (and other social media) they have the ability to push posts, videos etc to craft your opinions on things. If they have your data they can potentially work out what pushes your buttons

10-10-20

Probably by using demographic and historical viewing statistics to measure and manage audience engagement with policies which align with 'somebody's' world-view. Don't forget that despite having offices in Dublin/Europe and under the watchful gaze of Helen Dixon in the DPC, some parts of the targeting algorithm won't be modified on our shores and will go unseen due to corporate control/IP/confidentiality.

In my view for any of these social-media providers the most concerning aspect is how they can offer highly targeted delivery of marketing campaigns. These marketing tools provide the possibility of manipulating feeds so that "fully engaged" left-leaning/hard-left influencers are promoted over moderates or right-leaning types.

The metric called 'audience engagement' or 'audience interaction' which can be measured down to the individual is the most concerning part - this provides interested parties with a smorgasbord of viewer types which they can tune further engagement with, modifying the level of content to suit the audience. Tracking this data over time provides another metric which informs you on the effectiveness of the campaign.

The app's demographic is ideal for this - young, energetic and rebellious; easily influenced and willing to learn about "life hacks" or views which differ from their parents who aren't as well connected or within the same field of engagement.

Control such as that in the hands of a media mogul such as Rupert Murdoch is concerning enough, but imagine again that same control under a government who isn't looking to impress a few shareholders.

silliussoddius

This time next year we will all be dancing (in 15 second bursts) down Tianemen Square.

Most tech stuff is made in China, plenty of embedded software. With advancement of AI beyond the scope of present knowledge of many who analyse it, I would not be surprised how accelerated the advancement of their knowledge is and the ability to track what they deem useful to their data-build. The mysterious flying objects over the Americas is testimony to their thirst to potentially conquest via technology.

Strumms

Some people are always going to be more in peril of being influenced by media / social media and the opinions, views and political ideals of others.

I can’t remember the last time I was influenced by anything social media or mainstream media…

my mind is already made up as regards my favourite / favoured… clothing labels, holiday destinations, food, music, TV shows, sports, political thinking , general likes/hobbies/interests…

no TikTok or other social/mainstream media has changed any of it. Nor does it have the ability to.

whatever data TikTok have…which is of me just watching content as opposed to creating it…. It’s not going to be of very much use to them.

Before you worry about your data, research TikTok brain.

Padre_Pio

It's not just Tiktok. All the big online players are harvesting your data.

It's fairly easy for Google/ Amazon to track your movements and your mood by how you interact with Google Home/Alexa.

They know when you come home from work, they know based on your purchases when you get your yearly bonus, they know when they should push particular advertisements your way and manipulate your emotions.

Really, people dont seem to care. The benefits of technology outweight their pervasive behaviours.

Tiktok and the like will just promote content with a particular mood which could manuipulate public outlook. Research proved that content algorithms push people towards behavioural extremes, so they interact with content they would never normally search for.

They give content creators a platform and barely monitor what content is placed on the platform. Again, research shows that creators of fringe content make a decent living promoting views the average person would never encounter in their face-to-face interactions.

Capt'n Midnight

Data gets over-shared to sole traders data-brokerage firms who haven't a clue how to protect it.

A hacking group were asking for $3.5m for a file with info on 2.9 billion people. (so probably incudes you)

They got it from a company sole trader - "Salvatore Verini, Jr, operated the business out of his home office using two HP Pavilion desktop computers, valued at $200 each, a ThinkPad laptop estimated to be worth $100, and five Dell servers worth an estimated $2,000."

Who needs hackers when you can legally access that much data for hobby money ?