Just in time for Christmas,Watch Take Turns Tasting With College Alumni Online here's a friendly reminder that technology isn't always your friend.
Popular messaging app ToTok has been removed from the iOS App Store and Google Play Store, and if you have it on your phone you should probably remove it from there too. U.S. officials and a New York Timesinvestigation published on Sunday found the app to be a spying tool for the United Arab Emirates, making it much less benign than it initially appears.
ToTok was released on July 27, and quickly grew in popularity in the U.A.E. Other messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Skype are blocked in the country, so users were thrilled to have a free, functional alternative. The app quickly spread to other Middle Eastern countries and then the rest of the world, even trending in the U.S App Store.
However, while it let people chat easily with friends and family without expensive data packages, ToTok was reportedly gathering information on its users' contacts, locations, and conversations at the same time. Further, it was doing this entirely legitimately — from a certain point of view.
"Our analysis showed that ToTok, simply does what it claims to do… and really nothing more," former National Security Agency hacker Patrick Wardle wrote in his breakdown of the app. "[It] is really the genius of the whole mass surveillance operation: no exploits, no backdoors, no malware."
ToTok did what it claimed, in that it functioned as a messaging app. It also explicitly requested access to the phone's microphone, camera, photos, location, calendar and contacts — all permissions that are often granted to messaging apps.
However, rather than sticking to strictly messaging-app-like activities, ToTok reportedly intended to use that access to surveil its users. And by blocking other chat apps in the country, the U.A.E. practically ensured the app's success.
SEE ALSO: How to do a data detox when you're super lazy"You don’t need to hack people to spy on them if you can get people to willingly download this app to their phone," Wardle told the New York Times. "By uploading contacts, video chats, location, what more intelligence do you need?"
Even without the help of invasive apps, the U.A.E. is heavily surveilled. Human Rights Watch's 2019 World Report found that the country "arbitrarily detains and forcibly disappears" people within its borders who criticise the government, including in comments made on social media. The idea that authorities could comb through an individual's private communications as well is discomforting.
A blog post by ToTok on Sunday made no note of the allegations against the app. Instead, it emphasised ToTok's "tens of millions of users across hundreds of countries," thousands of positive reviews, and "high-security standards." It also addressed its sudden disappearance from Apple and Google's app stores.
"Indeed, ToTok is temporarily unavailable in these two stores due to a technical issue," wrote ToTok. "While the existing ToTok users continue to enjoy our service without interruption, we would like to inform our new users that we are well engaged with Google and Apple to address the issue."
SEE ALSO: 'One of the most sophisticated pieces of cyberespionage software' uncovered at Citizen LabTheNew York Times report states ToTok was actually removed from Google's store for violating "unspecified policies", and that Apple is still investigating the app.
ToTok claims it's still available on Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo's app stores, and says that Android users can install it directly from their website. We'd advise against it, though.
"Uninstall it yesterday," Wardle told Wired.
Topics Apps & Software Cybersecurity Privacy
Hurricane Laura's impact lingered with nightmarish mosquito swarms
Instant Pot Duo Plus deal: $69.99 at Amazon
Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro are just $99.99 at Amazon
Best Samsung deal: Get a free $100 Amazon gift card when preordering the Samsung Galaxy S25+
Exceptionally rare radio sources detected in the distant universe
Best tablet deal: Get the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ for its lowest price yet
Djokovic vs. Zverev 2025 livestream: Watch Australian Open for free
Stuff Your Kindle Day Jan. 23: Free contemporary cozy mystery e
Put Me In, Coach!
NYT Strands hints, answers for January 24
What cracked the Milky Way's giant cosmic bone? Scientists think they know.
Wordle today: The answer and hints for January 23, 2025
Samsung Galaxy Ring deal: $279.99 at Amazon
Best Hisense TV deal: Save $100 on the 65
Hurricane Laura's impact lingered with nightmarish mosquito swarms
Best Woot deal: Get 10% off your purchase with coupon code SAVETEN
A meteorite fell at their doorstep. The doorbell camera caught it all.
Samsung Galaxy Ring deal: $279.99 at Amazon
Best Garmin deal: Save over $100 on Garmin Forerunner 955
Sinner vs. Shelton 2025 livestream: Watch Australian Open for free
'Home Again' movie review: Reese Witherspoon shinesListen to the 14People are cheering on a heroic palm tree that stands defiant as Hurricane Irma ragesThe video chat app that should scare the hell out of Facebook and SnapchatIBM and MIT launch $240M AI research partnership5 reasons why George Lucas won't direct Star Wars Episode IX (and one reason why he should)The sun fires off 3 huge flares, including the strongest in a decadeIBM and MIT launch $240M AI research partnership'Game of Thrones' High Sparrow will play his popelganger Pope Francis in a Netflix filmNetflix thinks Netflix is a joke, apparentlyEquifax hack reminds everyone how much they hate credit agenciesIBM and MIT launch $240M AI research partnershipFrightening satellite view of Hurricane Irma swallowing tiny islands'It' critic review roundupAdidas releases puke and beer repellent shoes ahead of OktoberfestThe world's best airport has handed out smart glasses to ground staffWoman memorises all 328 pages of Ikea's catalogue in a weekGame of Thrones broke records even with a billion illegal downloads'French Banksy' portrait on the U.S.'Braided' eyebrows are the latest absurd beauty trend that truly anyone can try Whiting Awards 2020: Ling Ma, Fiction America Infected: The Social (Distance) Catastrophe by J. Hoberman Witchcraft and Brattiness: An Interview with Amina Cain by Martin Riker Whiting Awards 2020: Andrea Lawlor, Fiction Staff Picks: Menace, Machines, and Muhammad Ali by The Paris Review On Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong The Artist’s Hypothesis by The Paris Review A Story in One Picture by The Paris Review Staff Picks: Cinema, Sebald, and Small Surprises by The Paris Review Redux: Two Eyes That Are the Sunset of Two Knees by The Paris Review Redux: Knowing It Would End by The Paris Review Learning Ancientness Studio: An Interview with Jeffrey Yang by Lauren Kane The Collages of Max Ernst by The Paris Review Who Are the Hanged Men? by Kara Walker The Phone Call by Jill Talbot Cole Porter’s College Days by Brian Cullman The Other Billy Collins by Anthony Madrid Russia’s Dr. Seuss by Anthony Madrid Playwright, Puppeteer, Artist, Cyclist by The Paris Review Bread, Banana, Apple, Milk, Goodbye by Jennifer Tseng
2.317s , 10131.7890625 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【Watch Take Turns Tasting With College Alumni Online】,Creation Information Network