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TikTok tracked Android user data by using technique banned by Google

TikTok
TikTok

TikTok is facing heightened scrutiny from regulators after a report claimed that it collected information from millions of mobile devices without allowing users to opt out.

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, TikTok exploited a loophole in the Google-owned Android operating system which allowed it to collect unique identifiers called MAC addresses from users for more than a year.

The practice, which was banned by Google in 2015, would have meant that TikTok could track users and build up profiles of their behaviour even if users have set their privacy settings to opt out of ad-tracking.

The Wall Street Journal said its analysis suggested TikTok had since stopped the practice, which appeared to have been concealed through an added layer of encryptionr.

TikTok: number of users worldwide

The UK's data watchdog said it was "considering" the report and "the potential data protection compliance matters identified".

"Using [MAC addresses] to track a device or person across websites and apps involves the processing of personal data and therefore needs to comply with the requirements of data protection law.

"The ICO’s recent work on adtech has highlighted significant concerns about transparency, profiling and information security where personal data is collected and used for the purposes of online behavioural advertising."

TikTok said it was "committed to protecting the privacy and safety of the TikTok community".

"We constantly update our app to keep up with evolving security challenges, and the current version of TikTok does not collect MAC addresses.

"We always encourage our users to download the most current version of TikTok."

Google did not respond to requests for comment.

The claims come as TikTok faces a ban in the US from one month, unless its Chinese parent company Bytedance can sell the app before September 20.

Donald Trump signed an executive order to ban any US transactions with TikTok last week amid growing concerns that Beijing could use TikTok to glean data on US citizens. TikTok has maintained that it does not share data with the Chinese government and would not do so if asked.

In an effort to allay those concerns, Microsoft has been in talks to buy the US, Australian, New Zealand and Canadian parts of TikTok.

However, experts have cautioned that a deal could take much longer than the time allowed by Mr Trump.

TikTok is rumoured to be gearing up to file a claim in California, in which it will argue the ban is unconstitutional.