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Unlike other social ones applications, TikTok he did not become one global success connecting people with their friends and family. The stated mission is to “spark creativity and create joy,” far from Facebook’s goal of “bringing the world closer together”. The main feature of the application is this For You Page Algorithm, especially recommends videos based on what users like, whether they are uploaded by someone they don’t know. But recently, that seems to have begun to change.
Although until now TikTok has been an app you could never expect to encounter with your uncle, ex-boyfriend or annoying co-workers, the platform is now making a greater effort to connect users with people who have relationships outside of the platform. Eight TikTok users told WIRED that in recent months the app has begun to encourage people to follow in real life. a has also become common complaint Among the followers of TikTok, more broadly, creating privacy concerns about the tactics it uses to determine who knows the app first and foremost.
“The security and privacy of our community are key, which is why we offer so many privacy settings and selection features for convenience and enjoyment that allow people to customize their app experience,” a TikTok spokesman said in a statement.
Alex, a 27-year-old living in Queens, says he was shocked to find out one night at the beginning of the year that he had checked his TikTok notifications and realized that his father had followed his profile. He quickly blocked it, but the incident was disturbing because he often posts about being bisexual, something his father didn’t know about him at the time.
“When I was thinking about coming with him recently, I feel like I was deprived of that opportunity,” Alex says. Her profile gets her name, but seeing how TikTok works she thought her father had little risk of knowing that. “I was amazed that he found me because of our different beliefs and interests. I never thought the algorithm would show me my videos, so I didn’t worry about finding my profile, ”says Alex.
If his father had actively searched for his account, he probably wouldn’t have needed it. Like many social media platforms, TikTok allows you to find people you know by syncing your phone contacts or Facebook friends. If you provided a phone number when you signed up and listed your age as over 16, TikTok will by default “suggest your account to phone contacts” in accordance with the privacy settings of the app. If someone has your number — and you’ve given it to TikTok — they can find your profile if you don’t actively remove it.
TikTok needs permission to access your contact list, but both users said they didn’t realize they had selected the feature until a WIRED reporter asked them to verify it. “I make it a point to never do that,” says Michael Waters, a writer who lives in Brooklyn, and suspects he accidentally clicked on a pop-up message. Some people They have reported that they inadvertently sync their contacts with TikTok on Twitter.
There are other ways to find out if you know TikTok in real life. By default, the app suggests your profile to “people who have relationships with you”. This includes users who follow or follow the same accounts, as Facebook recommends people who have friends in common with each other.
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