Privacy – Norton https://www.antivirus-la.com Antivirus & Anti-Malware Software Mon, 20 Jan 2025 21:19:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.antivirus-la.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/53/2024/10/NortonFull-Vertical-Light-CMYK-Print-thumbnail-150x150.png Privacy – Norton https://www.antivirus-la.com 32 32 Is TikTok safe? 3 TikTok scams to be aware of https://www.antivirus-la.com/en/3-tiktok-scams-to-be-aware-of/ Mon, 20 Jan 2025 21:07:37 +0000 https://www.antivirus-la.com/?p=1311

Is TikTok safe? 3 TikTok scams to be aware of

TikTok is a generally safe social media app—with several key caveats. You might have heard about TikTok scams like fake giveaways, phishing attacks, and romance scams. Learn how safe this popular app is and how a product like Norton 360 Deluxe can help cover some of its weak spots.

TikTok Norton

What is TikTok?

TikTok is a short video hosting platform developed by the Beijing-based media company ByteDance. Despite its popularity, TikTok has been at the center of a few controversies over the years, with parents, businesses, and lawmakers expressing concerns about the app’s security and trustworthiness.

Data collection, harmful content, and national security are some of the app’s most contentious areas. So, is TikTok safe to use? And are any age groups more vulnerable than others? We’ll explore several of the app’s biggest security threats to shed light on these questions.

How safe is TikTok?

Generally speaking, TikTok is as safe as any other social media platform thanks to the app’s many security features, including:

  • Two-factor authentication (2FA)
  • Comment filters and curated content for children below the age of 13
  • Users between the ages of 13 and 15 are given private accounts by default
  • A 60-minute time limit for users below the age of 18
  • Only users who are 18 and older can complete transactions with virtual gifts
 

But TikTok still faces scrutiny. A 2023 survey  found that 59% of American adults consider TikTok to be a major or minor threat to the United States’ national security, due in part to the app’s data collection practices.

Furthermore, international governments have flagged TikTok as a security risk and issued bans on the app. Australia, Estonia, France, Norway, the UK, the US, and several institutions of the European Union prohibited employees from installing TikTok on government-owned devices. These nations cited concerns over TikTok’s data collection practices as primary motivators for this ban.

What types of data does TikTok collect?

Like many other apps, TikTok collects data to improve the app’s functionality and user experience, including:

  • Account information: Your name, username, profile picture, email, phone number, and passwords are all collected by the app.
  • Cookies/behavioral data: The app uses cookies that can track your activities to gain a better sense of your interests. TikTok observes the videos you watch, how long you watch them, and which ones you save.
  • Device data: TikTok takes notice of the devices you use to access the app, and can distinguish them based on their operating systems and network carriers.
  • Location information: TikTok can register things like IP addresses and GPS data to determine a user’s location.
  • User-created content: TikTok logs every post, video, and comment its users engage with. This includes content users create as well as content they view from other accounts.
 

User data is essential to helping apps work properly. It can also be shared with different organizations for various reasons.

 

Who does TikTok share data with?

TikTok shares data with multiple organizations for business and regulatory purposes. Some entities that have access to TikTok’s data include:

  • Advertisers: TikTok shares user data with advertisers to create targeted ads and better understand user activity.
  • Businesses: TikTok shares data with other social media businesses to learn more about user activities on other apps.
  • Governments and police agencies: Law enforcement agencies and federal agencies can request user data from TikTok to assist with investigations or to comply with government mandates. This can also happen when Congressional hearings occur.
  • Third-party apps: TikTok shares user data with third-party apps—aka apps that ByteDance doesn’t own. This correlates with TikTok’s Jump program, which lets users access third-party integrations from companies like Wikipedia and Quizlet to create content.
 

TikTok publishes reports on its data-sharing agreements, which can help users understand how the company handles their information. But scams can occur if user data falls into the wrong hands. 

TikTok scams

TikTok faces many of the same social media threats that impact Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Romance scams

Romance scams prey on individuals seeking a romantic relationship online. In a TikTok romance scam, a bad actor creates a fake account and targets real users by speaking to them in comment sections or directly messaging them. The scammer may build trust over time, and then craft elaborate stories to ask for money. Feeling pressured to send money and struggling to speak to the other person (in person or over the phone) may be signs of a romance scam.

Fake giveaways

Community engagement is a major part of the TikTok experience. Scammers can try to capitalize on this by holding fake giveaways for nonexistent prizes. The severity of these fake giveaways can vary; some accounts might hold fake giveaways to drive engagement, while more nefarious individuals will attempt to steal money or personal information.

Phishing scams

In a phishing scam, a criminal will try to gain access to sensitive information by posing as a legitimate source. On the TikTok app, a scammer might try to phish information by directly messaging a user and asking for details like login credentials or credit card info. TikTok users might even encounter comments or posts that urge them to click on a specific link, which can kick-start a phishing scam.

 

Bad actors, hackers, and criminals can use TikTok to commit various social media scams, but users can use cybersecurity tips to boost their safety on the app.

Cybersecurity tips for TikTok

Cybersecurity best practices and basic digital hygiene can make your time on TikTok much safer. Helpful strategies include:

  • Don’t share private information: Social media apps can pave the way for conversations, but you might not always know who you’re talking to. Exercise caution when sharing details about yourself, and never share sensitive info like Social Security numbers or even your home address.
  • Perform a social media cleanup: Cybercriminals can exploit vulnerabilities in your social media accounts if you aren’t careful. Perform a social media cleanup by deleting old accounts you no longer use, making active accounts private, and updating your passwords.
  • Use cybersecurity tools: Cybersecurity tools can serve as a line of defense against various TikTok scams. A password manager can help you maintain more control over your accounts, while antivirus software can help protect your device from malware.
 

TikTok may not be the only social media platform you regularly use. Thankfully, you can implement these strategies on other social media platforms to protect your online presence more effectively.

 Use TikTok safely with Norton 360 Deluxe
 

You can take steps to help manage some of TikTok’s cybersecurity risks. Services like Norton 360 Deluxe provide a suite of cybersecurity tools to help you stay safer while you’re on and off the app, including a built-in VPN and a dark web monitoring solution.

 

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]]> 1311 How does Spotify Wrapped work and what data do they collect? https://www.antivirus-la.com/en/how-does-spotify-wrapped-work/ Fri, 10 Jan 2025 18:00:40 +0000 https://www.antivirus-la.com/?p=979

How does Spotify Wrapped work and what data do they collect?

Spotify Wrapped is here! Social media feeds have lit up with colorful, shareable snapshots of users’ yearly music habits. Let’s uncover the technology behind the magic and explore the implications for your data privacy.

 
 

Spotify Wrapped has become a cultural phenomenon. Whether it’s showcasing your most-played artists or curating your personal soundtrack for the year, we all want to know our results. Plus, this year there are some other cool features to explore, like Your Music Evolution. 

But how does it all come together, and what does Spotify learn about you in the process? Let’s dive into how Spotify Wrapped works and what it means for your data privacy.

What is Spotify Wrapped?

Spotify Wrapped is an annual feature that uses your listening data to generate a personalized recap of your music habits over the year. Launched in 2015, Wrapped has become more than just a feature—it’s a social media staple. Users can easily share their top artists, favorite songs, and total listening time, sparking discussions and playlists among friends.

Last year, over 227 million users worldwide engaged with Spotify Wrapped. Its viral success is no accident—Spotify uses complex algorithms and data science to craft these summaries.

How Spotify collects and uses your usage data

 

Spotify collects vast amounts of data about how you interact with to create Wrapped. From songs you listen to and playlists you make to the device you use, all of it’s part of this intricate puzzle. Here’s a breakdown of the key data points Spotify gathers:

  • Your listening habits: Spotify tracks what you listen to, how often, and for how long.
  • Device and activity data: It also monitors the device you use, the time of day you listen, and your activity during streaming sessions.
  • Behavioral trends: Your skips, replays, and even the genres you gravitate to during specific seasons are all logged.
 

This effort to collect so much specific data isn’t just for fun. Spotify uses it year-round to recommend playlists, refine its algorithm, and, of course, power Wrapped.

 The science behind Spotify Wrapped
 

Based on tech commentators’ observations, it’s likely that Spotify Wrapped relies on three core technologies to analyze and present your listening data. Check out what it takes to craft their insights:

 User taste profiles

Spotify uses collaborative filtering to group listeners with similar tastes. For example, if you love indie rock, you’re grouped with other indie rock fans. Spotify then cross-references what others in your “group” are listening to, using that data to improve recommendations and paint an accurate picture of your preferences.

 Audio modeling
 

Audio modeling dives deeper into the characteristics of each song. This includes factors like tempo, beat, instrumentation, and even lyrical analysis using natural language processing (NLP). By combining this data with your listening habits, Spotify refines its recommendations to reflect not just what you listen to but the specific elements of music you gravitate toward.

Data activation

Finally, Spotify transforms all this data into a curated experience. Whether it’s Discover Weekly playlists or the Wrapped slideshow, Spotify turns raw data into moments of delight for its users.

 Does Spotify know too much?
 

Spotify’s data collection has undeniable perks, like personalized recommendations and curated playlists. Some critics argue that this level of data aggregation ventures too far by tracking intimate details of users’ lives, while others are completely okay with it.

Understanding what the platform collects—and how to manage your privacy—is essential. Using Spotify’s private session feature can limit data collection for specific listening activities. Similarly, understanding when data collection for each Spotify Wrapped period stops—usually in late October to mid-November—can help you anticipate how your habits count toward your summary. Just keep in mind that Spotify collects data year-round for their other features.
 
Whether you’re partaking in this social media trend or not, it’s important to stay informed. Be safe out there!
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