The FBI warned Americans that foreign-developed mobile apps, particularly those maintained by Chinese companies, can pose significant privacy and data-security risks by collecting extensive personal information. The advisory urges users to limit data sharing, keep devices updated, download verified apps, use strong password managers, and report suspected compromises to the IC3 platform. #TikTok #ByteDance
Keypoints
- The FBI issued a public service announcement warning about risks from foreign-developed mobile apps, especially those based in China.
- Some apps may continuously collect user data even when not actively in use.
- Default permissions can expose contacts and other personal identifiers, with data sometimes stored on servers in China.
- The FBI recommends disabling unnecessary data sharing, updating device software, using official app stores, and reporting incidents to IC3.
- TikTok’s U.S. business was transferred to a majority American-owned joint venture led by Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX following a 2024 divestiture requirement.