Following the purchase of the formerly Chinese-owned social media platform, TikTok, by U.S. investors, the app’s terms of service and privacy policy have faced changes. According to CNN, the new owners, such as the company Oracle, which specializes in database software, plan to use user data to rework TikTok’s algorithm. They will also be responsible for content moderation for U.S. users.
Sophomore TikTok user Kendal Andrews said she likes the access she has to the platform. However, she said she also realizes the harm that comes with using it, but overall, she enjoys the app.
“I usually use [TikTok] when I just have free time and scroll on there, but sometimes it’s kind of my main source engine, which is kind of bad,” Andrews said.
On the other hand, Graphic Design teacher Chastity Romero Latham, who used to use TikTok, said she worries about the app’s ownership. She said that using the app doesn’t make sense, as worries about stolen information remain, just not by China.
Since this change in ownership and terms of service, senior Abby Cothern said she noticed clear changes in the app’s function. She said she continues to see repeated videos, and it all feels different.
“It’s not the same as it used to be,” Cothern said. “I just keep seeing the same videos I’ve already been seeing.”
In addition, Latham said she can’t see how TikTok’s new privacy system reflects the ‘free’ ideologies of the U.S. government. She said she feels that it is a bit too simple for officials to gain data from citizens.
“Just through your phone or with this software, they can turn on your camera lens, or they can turn on your speaker, where they can hear conversations. How free is anyone if that’s what’s going on in your pocket?” Latham said.
Cothern said she understands the goal of these changes. However, she said there were ways panic could have been avoided, such as doing a test.
“I get what they’re kind of trying to do, but I think it just wasn’t executed well,” Cothern said. “They could have done it in a better way, or done a test trial.”
Latham said that the initiative could have been more effective if the owners had been more transparent on how they used users’ data. She said she feels uneasy when such powerful entities can access anyone’s personal data.
“If I have an issue with the computers, I can call Braxton, and he can log right in on the student account, or he can log in just on that computer. He’s just an IT guy, so we’re talking about these multi-billion dollar industries that are using information for what?” Latham said.
