The U.S. government cannot dictate what apps you install unless you are using a government-issued device. From August 15 onwards, employees of the U.S. House of Representatives will be prohibited from using any apps developed by ByteDance on government devices.

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TikTok is already restricted, but the recent ban now extends to several other apps you or your loved ones might be utilizing.

◾ CapCut: Tool for video editing with various filters.

◾ Hypic: Tool for photo editing.

◾ Lark: A collaboration application meant for work purposes.

◾ Lemon8: A social media platform centered on fashion, beauty, travel, food, and other lifestyle interests.

The primary concern lies with ByteDance’s association with the Chinese Communist Party. As a Beijing-based firm, it must comply with Chinese laws that necessitate sharing data with the government.

Let’s examine the data they collect

If you think the fears surrounding ByteDance are exaggerated, consider this comprehensive list of information you provide each time you browse through TikTok:

◾ Personal details: your name, age, username, email address, password, phone number, and location.

◾ Technical information: your IP address, mobile carrier, time zone, device model, and operating system.

◾ Biometric data: including facial recognition and voiceprint details.

◾ Message content: records of your communications and the exact times you send, receive, and read messages.

◾ Purchase details: if you buy from the TikTok shop, it collects your payment information along with billing and shipping addresses.

◾ Behavior on other sites and apps, including what you shop for.

◾ File names and types.

◾ Patterns of typing.

◾ Visuals in videos— like notable landmarks, stores, and tourist spots.

◾ Frequently visited web pages and your interactions with them.

◾ Data from your clipboard, encompassing text, images, and videos.

◾ Information about your media: videos, photos, and audio.

TikTok also attaches data to images and advertisements to monitor when and for how long you view a page, along with a description. The total amount of information TikTok gathers is so vast that it could nearly replicate your entire device.

Where TikTok stores its data has been particularly concerning for Congress. Data collected in the U.S. has been linked directly to servers based in China, although the company contends they have modified their systems to store American data domestically.

What about Temu?

Previously, I issued warnings regarding the highly popular shopping app, which gained traction last year. While interest seems to be dwindling, Temu remained the most downloaded shopping app in the U.S. in 2023.

Promoting itself with the slogan – “Shop like a billionaire” – Temu boasts incredibly low prices on a range of products from clothing to electronics. It may be a U.S.-based company, but it is owned by PDD Holdings, which operates from China. PDD Holdings is also responsible for Pinduoduo, an app that was removed from the Google Play Store due to containing malware.

While using Temu, it has the ability to:

◾ Observe your activity on other applications.

◾ Monitor your notifications.

◾ Access private messages.

◾ Modify settings on your device.

Depending on what permissions you grant, it could gain full access to your contacts, calendars, photo libraries, social media accounts, chats, and text messages.

Take action now

Ultimately, the decision to keep certain apps on your phone is yours. You might decide to only adjust their permissions. However, you might consider taking it a step further.

How to uninstall apps from your Android device:

◾ Press and hold an app, then select App Info > Uninstall.

◾ Navigate to Settings > Apps & Notifications to view your apps and uninstall them similarly.

◾ Alternatively, open the Google Play Store app, go to Menu > My apps & games, select the app, and hit Uninstall.

◾ NOTE: On Samsung and OnePlus devices, there’s an Uninstall option available in the app shortcuts menu.

How to delete apps from your iPhone

◾ Tap and hold an app, then select Remove App > Delete App > Delete.

◾ Alternatively, use the App Library for a categorized list of your apps. Swipe past the last page on your Home screen to access it. Press and hold an app, then choose Delete App > Delete.

But Kim, I have to scroll through TikTok …

… Or maybe one of the other apps I mentioned earlier. There is a relatively safe way to do this, ensuring that the information from your actual phone isn’t being sent all over the place:

◾ Download TikTok onto an older device that isn’t tied to your email, banking details, or anything sensitive.

If possible, avoid connecting it to your home Wi-Fi and consider purchasing a low-cost data plan. If that’s not feasible, at least use the guest Wi-Fi network. Now, reflect on whether the videos, editing applications, and cheap items are truly worth the hassle.