TikTok Collected Android Users’ Device Identifiers
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the social media platform TikTok collected unique device identifiers (MAC addresses) from millions of Android users, bypassing Google’s restrictions designed to prevent such tracking.
How TikTok Collected Data
WSJ states, “TikTok circumvented Android’s security measures from Google to collect unique identifiers from millions of mobile devices.” A MAC address is a unique identifier for network hardware, which companies can use to track users and serve targeted ads. TikTok reportedly concealed this tracking by using an unusual extra layer of encryption, violating Google’s policy that prohibits apps from tracking users in this way.
Investigation Findings
The WSJ examined nine versions of the TikTok app released between April 2018 and January 2020. The investigation found that TikTok stopped collecting MAC addresses in November 2019. TikTok representatives have confirmed that the app no longer collects MAC addresses.
Company Response
In a recent statement, ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, emphasized that it has never shared user data with the Chinese government.