Is TikTok spying on you for China? Senators in the United States have raised alarm over the social media app TikTok. They call it a 'massive surveillance tool'.

US: Senators call TikTok a 'massive surveillance tool; Is TikTok spying on you for China?

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray has branded the popular short-form video-sharing app TikTok as a “national security threat” amid&nbsp;concerns over the possibility of data of millions of users being used by the Chinese government.

Speaking during a US House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee hearing on "worldwide threats to the homeland", Wray said that there are high chances of the Chinese government weaponising the data of around 80 million Americans.

He claimed that ByteDance embeds specific application programming interfaces (APIs) in the short-form video app which gives Beijing access to “control data collection of millions of users or control the recommendation algorithm, which&nbsp;can be used for influence operations,&nbsp;or to control software on millions of devices, which gives the opportunity to potentially technically compromise personal devices.”

The FBI chief called the foreign intelligence and economic threat from China "the greatest long-term threat to our nation’s ideas, innovation, and economic security.”

“China’s fast-hacking program is the world’s largest, and they have stolen more of Americans’ personal and business data than every other nation combined," he said.

<h2>'Is all well with Madonna?': American pop star scares fans with newest TikTok</h2>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/is-all-well-with-madonna-american-pop-star-scares-fans-with-newest-tiktok-532843/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Concerns over the Chinese government’s influence over ByteDance company have been a long-standing issue&nbsp;between the US and China.

Wray said that there has been a surge in cybersecurity cases, throwing a challenge to the FBI.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-senate-crosses-hurdle-in-same-sex-interracial-marriage-protection-bill-534939" hreflang="en">US Senate crosses hurdle in same sex, interracial marriage protection bill</a>

“We’re investigating over 100 different ransomware variants and each one of those with scores of victims as well as a whole host of other novel threats posed by both cybercriminals and nation-states alike," he said.

These security concerns have already promoted the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the military to ban TikTok from government phones.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/im-closing-door-on-that-former-us-vice-president-mike-pence-refuses-to-testify-before-jan-06-committee-535001" hreflang="en">Former US Vice President Mike Pence refuses to testify before Jan 06 committee</a>

Missouri’s Republican Senator Josh Hawley has sought the ban to be extended to all government phones.

“We also ought to require, the federal government ought to require TikTok to be separated from the Beijing-owned ByteDance parent company,” Hawley said.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE: 

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray has branded the popular short-form video-sharing app TikTok as a “national security threat” amid concerns over the possibility of data of millions of users being used by the Chinese government.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray has branded the popular short-form video-sharing app TikTok as a “national security threat” amid concerns over the possibility of data of millions of users being used by the Chinese government. Speaking during a US House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee hearing on "worldwide threats to the homeland", Wray said that there are high chances of the Chinese government weaponising the data of around 80 million Americans. He claimed that ByteDance embeds specific application programming interfaces (APIs) in the short-form video app which gives Beijing access to “control data collection of millions of users or control the recommendation algorithm, which can be used for influence operations, or to control software on millions of devices, which gives the opportunity to potentially technically compromise personal devices.” The FBI chief called the foreign intelligence and economic threat from China "the greatest long-term threat to our nation’s ideas, innovation, and economic security.” “China’s fast-hacking program is the world’s largest, and they have stolen more of Americans’ personal and business data than every other nation combined," he said. 'Is all well with Madonna?': American pop star scares fans with newest TikTok Concerns over the Chinese government’s influence over ByteDance company have been a long-standing issue between the US and China. Wray said that there has been a surge in cybersecurity cases, throwing a challenge to the FBI. Also read | US Senate crosses hurdle in same sex, interracial marriage protection bill “We’re investigating over 100 different ransomware variants and each one of those with scores of victims as well as a whole host of other novel threats posed by both cybercriminals and nation-states alike," he said. These security concerns have already promoted the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the military to ban TikTok from government phones. Also read | Former US Vice President Mike Pence refuses to testify before Jan 06 committee Missouri’s Republican Senator Josh Hawley has sought the ban to be extended to all government phones. “We also ought to require, the federal government ought to require TikTok to be separated from the Beijing-owned ByteDance parent company,” Hawley said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

FBI director says TikTok poses ‘national security threat’, gives Beijing access to data, devices

The Chinese-owned app TikTok is once again under the scanner in the United States. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. the U.S operations of the Chinese-owned TikTok are raising National Security concerns within the United States.

WION Dispatch | FBI: TikTok a threat to national security of the United States

After puzzling fans with a sexual identity on TikTok a few days ago, Madonna has again left her fans scratching her head once again. The 64-year-old singer has posted a video of herself twerking, wearing a black lingerie as 'Luke Love's LSD' plays in the background.

'Is all well with Madonna?': American pop star scares fans with newest TikTok

Two Nigerian TikTokers, Mubarak Isa Muhammad and Muhammad Bala, were arrested last week and have been sentenced to a fine and whipping after they used the social media app to allegedly mock a government official, reported the BBC. The incident took place in Nigeria’s northern Kano State, whose capital is the second most populous city after Lagos. &nbsp;

According to the report, the duo was convicted for defaming the governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Ganduje after they posted a video on Facebook and TikTok in which they mocked the governor for alleged land grabbing, corruption and sleeping while he was at work.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nigeria-advertising-watchdog-sues-meta-seeks-usd-50-million-for-violation-of-laws-523140">Nigeria: Advertising watchdog sues Meta, seeks USD 50 million for violation of laws</a>&nbsp;

Their lawyer did not challenge the judgement and they pleaded guilty and requesting for leniency, however, they were both sentenced to pay a 10,000 naira ($23) fine, and clean the court’s premises for a month as well as 20 lashes each. Furthermore, the duo was also ordered to apologize on social media to Ganduje.&nbsp;

The prosecution, attorney Wada Ahmed Wada claimed that the men had defamed the governor and that their actions could disturb public peace. Meanwhile, Mubarak Isa Muhammad and Muhammad Bala’s lawyer told BBC that he did not challenge the verdict since it was a “non-custodial” sentence, which meant that those convicted would not go to be sentenced to imprisonment.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nigeria-becomes-first-country-ever-to-ban-foreign-models-in-advertisements-510540">Nigeria becomes first country ever to ban foreign models in TV commercials</a>

Notably, Kano State is one of the dozen states in the country that practices Sharia law parallel with the country’s secular laws and only people from the Muslim community can be tried in Sharia courts, said the report.&nbsp;

Amid the growing popularity of the social media platform, particularly among young people, in the country, many have used it to comment on social and political issues including mocking public figures and government officials using snippets of images and videos to often create comedies.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Two Nigerian TikTokers, Mubarak Isa Muhammad and Muhammad Bala, were arrested last week and have been sentenced to a fine and whipping after they used the social media app to allegedly mock a government official, reported the BBC.

Two Nigerian TikTokers, Mubarak Isa Muhammad and Muhammad Bala, were arrested last week and have been sentenced to a fine and whipping after they used the social media app to allegedly mock a government official, reported the BBC. The incident took place in Nigeria’s northern Kano State, whose capital is the second most populous city after Lagos. According to the report, the duo was convicted for defaming the governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Ganduje after they posted a video on Facebook and TikTok in which they mocked the governor for alleged land grabbing, corruption and sleeping while he was at work. ALSO READ: Nigeria: Advertising watchdog sues Meta, seeks USD 50 million for violation of laws Their lawyer did not challenge the judgement and they pleaded guilty and requesting for leniency, however, they were both sentenced to pay a 10,000 naira ($23) fine, and clean the court’s premises for a month as well as 20 lashes each. Furthermore, the duo was also ordered to apologize on social media to Ganduje. The prosecution, attorney Wada Ahmed Wada claimed that the men had defamed the governor and that their actions could disturb public peace. Meanwhile, Mubarak Isa Muhammad and Muhammad Bala’s lawyer told BBC that he did not challenge the verdict since it was a “non-custodial” sentence, which meant that those convicted would not go to be sentenced to imprisonment. ALSO READ: Nigeria becomes first country ever to ban foreign models in TV commercials Notably, Kano State is one of the dozen states in the country that practices Sharia law parallel with the country’s secular laws and only people from the Muslim community can be tried in Sharia courts, said the report. Amid the growing popularity of the social media platform, particularly among young people, in the country, many have used it to comment on social and political issues including mocking public figures and government officials using snippets of images and videos to often create comedies. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

2 TikTok users in Nigeria fined and sentenced to whipping for mocking govt official

Internet is a strange place, there is a tutorial for everything. There was a time when there were tutorials on how to hide puffy eyes after crying. Now believe it or not, there are tutorial on what is being describes as 'Crying Makeup'. Watch the video to know more about it.

Gen Z's latest obsession: 'Crying Makeup' becomes a trend on TikTok!

Amid privacy concerns over Chinese access to user information on TikTok, the app recently in its statement made clear that the user data is accessible by employees outside Europe.

The social media app indirectly confirmed to the users that their data can be accessed by its employees in China also.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/bytedance-intends-to-use-tiktok-to-monitor-americans-location-national-security-in-threat-527355">Also read |&nbsp;ByteDance intends to use TikTok to monitor Americans' location, claims report</a>

However, the Chinese-owned app in its privacy statement said that staff members are permitted to access user info in order to make sure that the content is consistent and safe for other users. The head of privacy for Europe said that they permit employees from Brazil, Canada, China, Israel, the US, South Korea and others part of the corporate group to access TikTok info.&nbsp;

Earlier, privacy issues were raised by the US that China is accessing the info, posing a security threat.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;WION Fineprint | New TikTok trend: Hold your breath till you pass out

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-fineprint-new-tiktok-trend-hold-your-breath-till-you-pass-out-528963/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

However, TikTok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew in an open letter to Republican senators stated that international employees can only access a little information about the users in the US that too with the permission of a US-based TikTok security team.&nbsp;

A Europe judgement stated that digital transfers between the EU and China are required for security-check.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/tiktok-raises-minimum-age-for-live-streaming-on-platform-from-16-to-18-years-527130">Also read |&nbsp;TikTok raises minimum age for live streaming on platform from 16 to 18 years</a>

The app's privacy policy update will take effect on December 2 and will be applicable to most European countries.

Fox in its statement stated that the privacy policy update stated that TikTok does not collect "precise location formation." However, it now read as "With your permission, we may also collect precise location information (such as GPS)."

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Amid privacy concerns over Chinese access to user information on TikTok, the app recently in its statement made clear that the user data is accessible by employees outside Europe.

Amid privacy concerns over Chinese access to user information on TikTok, the app recently in its statement made clear that the user data is accessible by employees outside Europe. The social media app indirectly confirmed to the users that their data can be accessed by its employees in China also. Also read | ByteDance intends to use TikTok to monitor Americans' location, claims report However, the Chinese-owned app in its privacy statement said that staff members are permitted to access user info in order to make sure that the content is consistent and safe for other users. The head of privacy for Europe said that they permit employees from Brazil, Canada, China, Israel, the US, South Korea and others part of the corporate group to access TikTok info. Earlier, privacy issues were raised by the US that China is accessing the info, posing a security threat. Watch | WION Fineprint | New TikTok trend: Hold your breath till you pass out However, TikTok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew in an open letter to Republican senators stated that international employees can only access a little information about the users in the US that too with the permission of a US-based TikTok security team. A Europe judgement stated that digital transfers between the EU and China are required for security-check. Also read | TikTok raises minimum age for live streaming on platform from 16 to 18 years The app's privacy policy update will take effect on December 2 and will be applicable to most European countries. Fox in its statement stated that the privacy policy update stated that TikTok does not collect "precise location formation." However, it now read as "With your permission, we may also collect precise location information (such as GPS)." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

TikTok tells its European users its employees in China, other continents can access their data

Millions of Chinese have turned&nbsp;to a popular Bollywood song from the 1980s to voice their frustration at Beijing’s draconian zero-Covid policy.

“Jimmy, Jimmy, Aaja Aaja”, a hit Hindi song from the 1982 film 'Disco Dancer' is being widely used by the people on short video app Douyin —the Chinese name for TikTok—to mock the regime.

The 'Jimmy, Jimmy' song—composed by the late Bappi Lahiri and sung by Parvati Khan—is sung in Mandarin "Jie mi, jie mi", which translates into "Give me rice, give me rice", highlighting how people have been unable to purchase even essential items during the lockdown. The Hindi song is itself inspired by Ottawan’s 'T’es OK, T’es Bath.'

In the social media videos, users are shown wearing a “bindi” and makeshift saree—a traditional attire of Indian women—and carrying an empty vessel while dancing and lip-syncing to the popular Hindi song.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
《借米》火了！一切信号都告诉你 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E7%B2%AE%E9%A3%9F%E5%8D%B1%E6%9C%BA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#粮食危机</a> <a href="https://t.co/HXHScw1cP4">pic.twitter.com/HXHScw1cP4</a>
— 历史铭记（澳喜特战旅.第6号） (@guozhanshi) <a href="https://twitter.com/guozhanshi/status/1586675715290042369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MUqUjJDcwIw" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yRqWlhkx1iA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Watch | Gravitas: Chinese workers jump fences to escape lockdown

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-chinese-workers-jump-fences-to-escape-lockdown-530044/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Surprisingly, the act has managed to avert the watchful gaze of Chinese censors who are quick to take down anything that they perceive to be critical of President Xi Jinping and his policies.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/50-countries-at-un-condemn-china-for-xinjiang-human-rights-violations-530081">50 countries at UN condemn China for Xinjiang human rights violations</a>

The zero-Covid strategy, which is a combination of lockdowns, vaccinations and contact tracing, is being used by the local governments to clamp down on sporadic outbreaks.

The strict policy has left the public fuming due to restrictions on freedom of movement, food shortages and lack of access to essential medical services.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-xi-asks-communist-vietnam-to-never-let-anyone-interfere-530061" hreflang="en">China's Xi asks communist Vietnam to 'never let anyone interfere'</a>

Recently, people working at Apple's iPhone manufacturing facility in Zhengzhou city in central Henan province were seen deserting the place en masse after the authorities imposed strict lockdown in wake of rising Covid cases.

Visuals shared on Twitter showed people walking on the streets with luggage on their shoulders, seemingly in the absence of public transportation.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hundreds of Foxconn employees are believed to have fled the factory in China's central province of Henan. It comes after workers raised concerns about insufficient medical care and under-reported COVID infections put them at high risk.<a href="https://t.co/8XBZa4eGc3">pic.twitter.com/8XBZa4eGc3</a>
— Bang Xiao 萧邦 (@BangXiao_) <a href="https://twitter.com/BangXiao_/status/1586560712553697280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

According to local reports, the mass exodus was triggered by a lack of food supplies inside the Foxconn factory.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE: 

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Millions of Chinese have turned to a popular Bollywood song from the 1980s to voice their frustration at Beijing’s draconian zero-Covid policy. “Jimmy, Jimmy, Aaja Aaja”, a hit Hindi song from the 1982 film 'Disco Dancer' is being widely used by the people on short video app Douyin —the Chinese name for TikTok—to mock the regime.

Millions of Chinese have turned to a popular Bollywood song from the 1980s to voice their frustration at Beijing’s draconian zero-Covid policy. “Jimmy, Jimmy, Aaja Aaja”, a hit Hindi song from the 1982 film 'Disco Dancer' is being widely used by the people on short video app Douyin —the Chinese name for TikTok—to mock the regime. The 'Jimmy, Jimmy' song—composed by the late Bappi Lahiri and sung by Parvati Khan—is sung in Mandarin "Jie mi, jie mi", which translates into "Give me rice, give me rice", highlighting how people have been unable to purchase even essential items during the lockdown. The Hindi song is itself inspired by Ottawan’s 'T’es OK, T’es Bath.' In the social media videos, users are shown wearing a “bindi” and makeshift saree—a traditional attire of Indian women—and carrying an empty vessel while dancing and lip-syncing to the popular Hindi song. 《借米》火了！一切信号都告诉你 #粮食危机 pic.twitter.com/HXHScw1cP4 — 历史铭记（澳喜特战旅.第6号） (@guozhanshi) October 30, 2022 × × × Watch | Gravitas: Chinese workers jump fences to escape lockdown Surprisingly, the act has managed to avert the watchful gaze of Chinese censors who are quick to take down anything that they perceive to be critical of President Xi Jinping and his policies. Also read | 50 countries at UN condemn China for Xinjiang human rights violations The zero-Covid strategy, which is a combination of lockdowns, vaccinations and contact tracing, is being used by the local governments to clamp down on sporadic outbreaks. The strict policy has left the public fuming due to restrictions on freedom of movement, food shortages and lack of access to essential medical services. Also read | China's Xi asks communist Vietnam to 'never let anyone interfere' Recently, people working at Apple's iPhone manufacturing facility in Zhengzhou city in central Henan province were seen deserting the place en masse after the authorities imposed strict lockdown in wake of rising Covid cases. Visuals shared on Twitter showed people walking on the streets with luggage on their shoulders, seemingly in the absence of public transportation. Hundreds of Foxconn employees are believed to have fled the factory in China's central province of Henan. It comes after workers raised concerns about insufficient medical care and under-reported COVID infections put them at high risk.pic.twitter.com/8XBZa4eGc3 — Bang Xiao 萧邦 (@BangXiao_) October 30, 2022 × According to local reports, the mass exodus was triggered by a lack of food supplies inside the Foxconn factory. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Jimmy Jimmy': Chinese turn to popular Indian song to mock zero-Covid policy

#Gravitas | Have you heard about the #BlackoutChallenge? It encourages people to choke themselves until they pass out due to lack of oxygen. The mother of a 10-yr-old-girl recently sued TikTok for causing her death. A U.S. court has dismissed the lawsuit as 'wrongful'. Molly Gambhir reports.

Gravitas: Did this Viral TikTok trend cause a girl's death?

The blackout challenge on TikTok encourages users to hold their breath until they pass out due to a lack of oxygen. How do we hold these firms responsible for their dangerously defective algorithm and negligent conduct? Molly Gambhir brings you the details

WION Fineprint | New TikTok trend: Hold your breath till you pass out

Social media platform TikTok has been in the middle of a lot of controversies due to allegations of data breaches and the involvement of the Chinese government in tracking user data. However, a new survey shows that it has not changed its popularity in the United States – especially among the youth.&nbsp;

The survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found that around one-third of TikTok users get their consumption of news from the platform. Most of these users were aged under 30 years but the percentage of users between 30-49 years who get their news from TikTok has grown quite a bit.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rishi-sunak-urges-conservative-party-members-unite-or-die-ahead-of-becoming-uk-pm-528091" hreflang="en">Sunak urges Conservative Party to ‘unite or die’ ahead of becoming UK PM</a>

It currently stands at 10 per cent – a huge rise from 2 per cent in 2020. The growth can also be seen in people in the age group of 50-64 years where the number has gone up by three per cent.&nbsp;

It is a surprising trend for a social media platform that is well-known for dance videos and generally light-hearted user-generated content. However, with young people in the US spending a lot of time online, it has turned into an educational source for them when it comes to news.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/security-forces-fire-teargas-as-girls-clash-with-staff-at-school-in-iran-528080" hreflang="en">Security forces fire teargas as girls clash with staff at school in Iran</a>

&nbsp;Media outlets like the Los Angeles Times have also decided to cash in on the popularity of TikTok as a news source as it introduced its team of reporters who work purely on the platform.&nbsp;

“With the goal of meeting new audiences where they are, 404 is ushering in a new era of audience engagement at The Times and rewriting the rulebook for how a ‘paper’ exists online,” the LA Times website claimed.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Social media platform TikTok has been in the middle of a lot of controversies due to allegations of data breaches and the involvement of the Chinese government in tracking user data.

Social media platform TikTok has been in the middle of a lot of controversies due to allegations of data breaches and the involvement of the Chinese government in tracking user data. However, a new survey shows that it has not changed its popularity in the United States – especially among the youth. The survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found that around one-third of TikTok users get their consumption of news from the platform. Most of these users were aged under 30 years but the percentage of users between 30-49 years who get their news from TikTok has grown quite a bit. Also read | Sunak urges Conservative Party to ‘unite or die’ ahead of becoming UK PM It currently stands at 10 per cent – a huge rise from 2 per cent in 2020. The growth can also be seen in people in the age group of 50-64 years where the number has gone up by three per cent. It is a surprising trend for a social media platform that is well-known for dance videos and generally light-hearted user-generated content. However, with young people in the US spending a lot of time online, it has turned into an educational source for them when it comes to news. Also read | Security forces fire teargas as girls clash with staff at school in Iran Media outlets like the Los Angeles Times have also decided to cash in on the popularity of TikTok as a news source as it introduced its team of reporters who work purely on the platform. “With the goal of meeting new audiences where they are, 404 is ushering in a new era of audience engagement at The Times and rewriting the rulebook for how a ‘paper’ exists online,” the LA Times website claimed.

One-third of users regularly get their news from TikTok, claims new study

A recent report published in Forbes alleged that TikTok and its parent company ByteDance, wanted to use the app to monitor the location of some specific US citizens. TikTok hit back at Forbes and said that it does not collect precise GPS location information from its users.

Forbes accuses TikTok of tracking specific US citizens, latter denies

Social media giant Tik Tok's parent company has yet again made the headlines.

A Forbes report on Thursday stated that Bytedance, the Chinese firm that owns TikTok, intends to utilise the app to track locations, especially of Americans.&nbsp;

According to Forbes, ByteDance's International and Risk Control department plans to utilise TikTok to track down at least two Americans who had never worked for the company.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/tiktok-raises-minimum-age-for-live-streaming-on-platform-from-16-to-18-years-527130">Also read |&nbsp;&nbsp;TikTok raises minimum age for live streaming on platform from 16 to 18 years</a>

Forbes didn't disclose the reason behind the monitoring. The reports are anticipated to cause controversy as TikTok is generally in talks due to privacy and security reasons.

However, TikTok's spokesman stated that location data is gathered along with other things to assist show relevant information and adverts to users, complying with applicable changes and detecting any fraud and inauthentic conduct is there.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-take-upto-760-of-donations-displaced-families-in-syria-camps-beg-for-report-524718">Also read |&nbsp;TikTok takes 70% of profits from videos of families begging in Syria refugee camps: Report</a>

Forbes contradicted this, and said, that the Internal Audit team didn't want to utilise the data for ad-targeting purposes, but rather to monitor specific Americans in the US.&nbsp;

The app has been targeted by both Trump's administration and Biden's administration. During the Trump era, he vowed to ban the app if it fails to find a US buyer.&nbsp;

Later, the Biden administration proposed new regulations that would give the US govt control over applications over the potential threats to the national security of the country.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Social media giant Tik Tok's parent company has yet again made the headlines. A Forbes report on Thursday stated that Bytedance, the Chinese firm that owns TikTok, intends to utilise the app to track locations, especially of Americans.

Social media giant Tik Tok's parent company has yet again made the headlines. A Forbes report on Thursday stated that Bytedance, the Chinese firm that owns TikTok, intends to utilise the app to track locations, especially of Americans. According to Forbes, ByteDance's International and Risk Control department plans to utilise TikTok to track down at least two Americans who had never worked for the company. Also read | TikTok raises minimum age for live streaming on platform from 16 to 18 years Forbes didn't disclose the reason behind the monitoring. The reports are anticipated to cause controversy as TikTok is generally in talks due to privacy and security reasons. However, TikTok's spokesman stated that location data is gathered along with other things to assist show relevant information and adverts to users, complying with applicable changes and detecting any fraud and inauthentic conduct is there. Also read | TikTok takes 70% of profits from videos of families begging in Syria refugee camps: Report Forbes contradicted this, and said, that the Internal Audit team didn't want to utilise the data for ad-targeting purposes, but rather to monitor specific Americans in the US. The app has been targeted by both Trump's administration and Biden's administration. During the Trump era, he vowed to ban the app if it fails to find a US buyer. Later, the Biden administration proposed new regulations that would give the US govt control over applications over the potential threats to the national security of the country. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

ByteDance intends to use TikTok to monitor Americans' location, claims report

On Monday, TikTok announced that it is raising the age limit for hosting livestreams on the platform and is also launching adult-only livestreams. The changes will be implemented starting November 23, and the users will have to be 18 years old or above to go live on the platform. Currently, the users have to be 16 or above to host a live stream.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the adult-only livestreams will reportedly be rolled out in the upcoming weeks as the date has not been specified by the platform. Previously the company had begun testing to restrict its livestreams to viewers who are 18 years and above.&nbsp;

The reports have also noted that the “adult-only” restriction will not allow users to broadcast adult content and the platform will still operate in line with their guidelines which prohibit “nudity, pornography, or sexually explicit content.”&nbsp;

The company in a blog post indicated, “We plan to introduce a new way for creators to choose if they’d prefer to only reach an adult audience in their LIVE.” It added, “For instance, perhaps a comedy routine is better suited for people over age 18. Or, a host may plan to talk about a difficult life experience and they would feel more comfortable knowing the conversation is limited to adults.”

This comes months after TikTok also&nbsp;wanted to identify and restrict content appropriate for younger and older teens versus adults and had indicated that they would ask the creators to specify which content is appropriate for a particular audience.&nbsp;

Another minor update to the live streaming feature is that the platform will also allow five other people in the multi-guest stream and they are also updating the app’s keyword filtering feature to send reminders for creators to moderate their comments, said reports.

This move also comes after a BBC report found that hundreds of accounts had been going live from Syrian refugee camps, with children begging for donations with the app’s live streaming tool, “We are deeply concerned by the information and allegations brought to us by the BBC, and have taken prompt and rigorous action.”&nbsp;

The report also alleged that the company has been taking a huge chunk of the money donated. The company has since refuted these allegations and said, “This type of content is not allowed on our platform, and we are further strengthening our global policies around exploitative begging.”

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

On Monday, TikTok announced that it is raising the age limit for hosting livestreams on the platform and is also launching adult-only livestreams. The changes will be implemented starting November 23, and the users will have to be 18 years old or above to go live on the platform.

On Monday, TikTok announced that it is raising the age limit for hosting livestreams on the platform and is also launching adult-only livestreams. The changes will be implemented starting November 23, and the users will have to be 18 years old or above to go live on the platform. Currently, the users have to be 16 or above to host a live stream. Meanwhile, the adult-only livestreams will reportedly be rolled out in the upcoming weeks as the date has not been specified by the platform. Previously the company had begun testing to restrict its livestreams to viewers who are 18 years and above. The reports have also noted that the “adult-only” restriction will not allow users to broadcast adult content and the platform will still operate in line with their guidelines which prohibit “nudity, pornography, or sexually explicit content.” The company in a blog post indicated, “We plan to introduce a new way for creators to choose if they’d prefer to only reach an adult audience in their LIVE.” It added, “For instance, perhaps a comedy routine is better suited for people over age 18. Or, a host may plan to talk about a difficult life experience and they would feel more comfortable knowing the conversation is limited to adults.” This comes months after TikTok also wanted to identify and restrict content appropriate for younger and older teens versus adults and had indicated that they would ask the creators to specify which content is appropriate for a particular audience. Another minor update to the live streaming feature is that the platform will also allow five other people in the multi-guest stream and they are also updating the app’s keyword filtering feature to send reminders for creators to moderate their comments, said reports. This move also comes after a BBC report found that hundreds of accounts had been going live from Syrian refugee camps, with children begging for donations with the app’s live streaming tool, “We are deeply concerned by the information and allegations brought to us by the BBC, and have taken prompt and rigorous action.” The report also alleged that the company has been taking a huge chunk of the money donated. The company has since refuted these allegations and said, “This type of content is not allowed on our platform, and we are further strengthening our global policies around exploitative begging.” (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

TikTok raises minimum age for live streaming on platform from 16 to 18 years

The data privacy concerns of TikTok users and the threat of their personal data being exposed to hacking and espionage by China refuse to die down and will still be relevant even if the Biden administration inks a security agreement that could spare a total US ban for the video platform.&nbsp; 
 
The continuing threat was detected by former national security officials, lawyers and data security experts as the US justice department reviewed the accord that would keep the popular video-streaming app, owned by China’s ByteDance Ltd., accessible to millions of users in the US, says a Bloomberg report. 
 
TikTok has been under scrutiny since 2019 over concerns that Chinese actors might tap the users’ information for espionage or other harmful purposes. 
 
“They built the whole system in China. Unless they’re going to rebuild the system in the United States at great expense, sooner or later, when something goes wrong, there’s going to turn out to be only one engineer who knows how to fix it. And he or she is likely to be in China,” said Stewart Baker, a national security lawyer at Steptoe &amp; Johnson LLP. 
 
TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter refused to comment on the the company’s discussions with the US government, but said, “We are confident that we are on a path to fully satisfy all reasonable US national security concerns.”

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ahead-of-us-mid-term-elections-tiktok-reveals-plan-to-crack-down-on-paid-political-posts-507897">Ahead of US mid-term elections, TikTok reveals plan to&nbsp;crack down on&nbsp;paid political posts</a>

She said some China-based employees would have access to public data posted by users, but they would not have access to private information, reported Bloomberg. “Their use of the public data would be very limited and accessed under the supervision of the oversight board set up by the US government,” she added. 
 
TikTok is routing all its US user traffic through servers maintained by Oracle Corp. and the database giant is auditing the app’s algorithms.&nbsp;However, additional restrictions on how data of US users is stored and accessed will be necessary, and might not resolve security concerns no matter how strong a deal looks on paper, said experts. 
 
Virginia Democrat Senator Mark Warner, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, couldn’t give details but said TikTok has “a big mountain to climb with me to prove the case that it can really be safe.” 
 
“China has a poor track record on protecting the privacy of users. They’ve shown repeatedly the ability to create this surveillance state that ought to scare the dickens out of all of us,” Warner said. 
 
ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/300-tiktok-bytedance-employees-worked-for-chinas-propaganda-machinery-report-506863">300 TikTok, ByteDance employees worked for China's propaganda machinery: Report</a> 
 
It’s much harder today to wall off TikTok’s data technically or ban it outright than it was five or six years ago as the popularity of the app has surged, the senator added. 
 
The video-streaming app, which has about 1 billion users but is banned in China, has been under scrutiny since 2019, when the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US started reviewing a merger between ByteDance and Musical.ly. 
 
The Biden administration re-opened a national security review of TikTok after former President Donald Trump stopped short of banning the app after ByteDance sought US approval to sell a stake in it to Oracle and Walmart Inc., but the deal didn’t work out. 
 
Nova Daly, a public policy expert, said it’s better to have the foreign company retain ownership of the US company in some instances because it allows for more robust scrutiny of that data but pointed out that it will still be hard to secure the data against theft or use for nefarious purposes. 
 
Lawmakers pressed TikTok Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Pappas during a Senate hearing about whether the company would seal off Chinese access to all US data. Pappas said the company has strict controls over access to data and where it’s stored, and wouldn’t give it to the Chinese government. 
 
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

The data privacy concerns of TikTok users and the threat of their personal data being exposed to hacking and espionage by China refuse to die down and will still be relevant even if the Biden administration inks a security agreement that could spare a total US ban for the video platform.

The data privacy concerns of TikTok users and the threat of their personal data being exposed to hacking and espionage by China refuse to die down and will still be relevant even if the Biden administration inks a security agreement that could spare a total US ban for the video platform. The continuing threat was detected by former national security officials, lawyers and data security experts as the US justice department reviewed the accord that would keep the popular video-streaming app, owned by China’s ByteDance Ltd., accessible to millions of users in the US, says a Bloomberg report. TikTok has been under scrutiny since 2019 over concerns that Chinese actors might tap the users’ information for espionage or other harmful purposes. “They built the whole system in China. Unless they’re going to rebuild the system in the United States at great expense, sooner or later, when something goes wrong, there’s going to turn out to be only one engineer who knows how to fix it. And he or she is likely to be in China,” said Stewart Baker, a national security lawyer at Steptoe & Johnson LLP. TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter refused to comment on the the company’s discussions with the US government, but said, “We are confident that we are on a path to fully satisfy all reasonable US national security concerns.” ALSO READ | Ahead of US mid-term elections, TikTok reveals plan to crack down on paid political posts She said some China-based employees would have access to public data posted by users, but they would not have access to private information, reported Bloomberg. “Their use of the public data would be very limited and accessed under the supervision of the oversight board set up by the US government,” she added. TikTok is routing all its US user traffic through servers maintained by Oracle Corp. and the database giant is auditing the app’s algorithms. However, additional restrictions on how data of US users is stored and accessed will be necessary, and might not resolve security concerns no matter how strong a deal looks on paper, said experts. Virginia Democrat Senator Mark Warner, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, couldn’t give details but said TikTok has “a big mountain to climb with me to prove the case that it can really be safe.” “China has a poor track record on protecting the privacy of users. They’ve shown repeatedly the ability to create this surveillance state that ought to scare the dickens out of all of us,” Warner said. ALSO READ | 300 TikTok, ByteDance employees worked for China's propaganda machinery: Report It’s much harder today to wall off TikTok’s data technically or ban it outright than it was five or six years ago as the popularity of the app has surged, the senator added. The video-streaming app, which has about 1 billion users but is banned in China, has been under scrutiny since 2019, when the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US started reviewing a merger between ByteDance and Musical.ly. The Biden administration re-opened a national security review of TikTok after former President Donald Trump stopped short of banning the app after ByteDance sought US approval to sell a stake in it to Oracle and Walmart Inc., but the deal didn’t work out. Nova Daly, a public policy expert, said it’s better to have the foreign company retain ownership of the US company in some instances because it allows for more robust scrutiny of that data but pointed out that it will still be hard to secure the data against theft or use for nefarious purposes. Lawmakers pressed TikTok Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Pappas during a Senate hearing about whether the company would seal off Chinese access to all US data. Pappas said the company has strict controls over access to data and where it’s stored, and wouldn’t give it to the Chinese government. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

TikTok security accord fails to douse concerns on breach of US users’ personal details

Ever since the value of cryptocurrencies skyrocketed, there have been umpteen stories of how people lost access to Bitcoin and are unable to recover it.&nbsp;

Recently, a TikToker who goes by the name @conspiracycubed&nbsp;revealed how he lost access to his Hotmail account, in which he had saved the details of his digital wallet to claim 100 Bitcoin that he bought in 2010. It is now worth around $2 million.&nbsp;

He said that someone tried unsuccessfully log into his Hotmail account. And when he tried to log back in, he was asked to verify himself by answering a security question he set up in 2005, Ladbible reported.&nbsp;

Apparently, @conspiracycubed is being asked to name his best friend that he listed in the security question in 2005. But the main problem is that he can’t remember who it was.&nbsp;

"Guess who can't get into this wallet because the information is stored on their Hotmail account? Me," he said in his recorded clip shared on TikTok.&nbsp;

He further said, "Why can't I get onto this Hotmail account? Is it because you lost the password? No, I know the password. It's my account.&nbsp;

"So why can't I get on it? Well, it appears that somebody has tried logging into my account.&nbsp;

"Now it's asking me to send a text to verify that I am who I say I am, even though the profile picture on the account is of me.""&nbsp;

"My face is on the profile picture. I've got emails from my girlfriend, who I'm still with 12 years later. And that's not proof.&nbsp;

He is now seeking legal help, and would like to know if there are any lawyers who can help him launch a legal case against Hotmail.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"If there's any legal help out there. Please get in touch with me. I will cut you in. I swear to god."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE: 

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Ever since the value of cryptocurrencies skyrocketed, there have been umpteen stories of how people lost access to Bitcoin and are unable to recover it. Recently, a TikToker who goes by the name @conspiracycubed revealed how he lost access to his Hotmail account, in which he had saved the details of his digital wallet to claim 100 Bitcoin that he bought in 2010.

Ever since the value of cryptocurrencies skyrocketed, there have been umpteen stories of how people lost access to Bitcoin and are unable to recover it. Recently, a TikToker who goes by the name @conspiracycubed revealed how he lost access to his Hotmail account, in which he had saved the details of his digital wallet to claim 100 Bitcoin that he bought in 2010. It is now worth around $2 million. He said that someone tried unsuccessfully log into his Hotmail account. And when he tried to log back in, he was asked to verify himself by answering a security question he set up in 2005, Ladbible reported. Apparently, @conspiracycubed is being asked to name his best friend that he listed in the security question in 2005. But the main problem is that he can’t remember who it was. "Guess who can't get into this wallet because the information is stored on their Hotmail account? Me," he said in his recorded clip shared on TikTok. He further said, "Why can't I get onto this Hotmail account? Is it because you lost the password? No, I know the password. It's my account. "So why can't I get on it? Well, it appears that somebody has tried logging into my account. "Now it's asking me to send a text to verify that I am who I say I am, even though the profile picture on the account is of me."" "My face is on the profile picture. I've got emails from my girlfriend, who I'm still with 12 years later. And that's not proof. He is now seeking legal help, and would like to know if there are any lawyers who can help him launch a legal case against Hotmail. "If there's any legal help out there. Please get in touch with me. I will cut you in. I swear to god." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Man can't access $1.8mn Bitcoin as he forgot security question answer 

Sources familiar with TikTok's parent company&nbsp;ByteDance confirmed that the firm has recently begun talks with other music apps and platforms to expand its streaming service worldwide to compete with music industry leaders like Spotify.&nbsp;

ByteDance recently introduced 'Resso,' a music service that is currently available in Asia (India, Indonesia) and Brazil as well. The company is aiming to extend its streaming worldwide and to make it easier for customers to stream on the short-video app, TikTok. The United States won't be a part of this, The Wall Street Journal reported.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-take-upto-760-of-donations-displaced-families-in-syria-camps-beg-for-report-524718">Also read |&nbsp;TikTok takes 70% of profits from videos of families begging in Syria refugee camps: Report</a>

The parent company is currently negotiating with a rising music industry service.&nbsp;

The short-video app has helped several songs become megahits by going viral. The audience on the social media platform increased tremendously during the Covid lockdown.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-all-you-need-to-know-about-latest-tiktok-trend-skin-cycling-524341/amp">Also read |&nbsp;All you need to know about latest TikTok trend Skin Cycling</a>

<ul>
</ul>

To expand its service, the Chinese streaming app needs to reach an agreement on negotiating terms with all major music labels as revenue through Resso has been a matter of concern as it is difficult to make money through it.

Resso offers both an on-demand subscription tier and a free, ad-supported tier, much like Spotify's "freemium." Currently, it appears that the company will have to work for its expansion.&nbsp;It is also working on how to work with TikTok to expand its services and earn money.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Sources familiar with TikTok's parent company ByteDance confirmed that the firm has recently begun talks with other music apps and platforms to expand its streaming service worldwide to compete with music industry leaders like Spotify.

Sources familiar with TikTok's parent company ByteDance confirmed that the firm has recently begun talks with other music apps and platforms to expand its streaming service worldwide to compete with music industry leaders like Spotify. ByteDance recently introduced 'Resso,' a music service that is currently available in Asia (India, Indonesia) and Brazil as well. The company is aiming to extend its streaming worldwide and to make it easier for customers to stream on the short-video app, TikTok. The United States won't be a part of this, The Wall Street Journal reported. Also read | TikTok takes 70% of profits from videos of families begging in Syria refugee camps: Report The parent company is currently negotiating with a rising music industry service. The short-video app has helped several songs become megahits by going viral. The audience on the social media platform increased tremendously during the Covid lockdown. Also read | All you need to know about latest TikTok trend Skin Cycling To expand its service, the Chinese streaming app needs to reach an agreement on negotiating terms with all major music labels as revenue through Resso has been a matter of concern as it is difficult to make money through it. Resso offers both an on-demand subscription tier and a free, ad-supported tier, much like Spotify's "freemium." Currently, it appears that the company will have to work for its expansion. It is also working on how to work with TikTok to expand its services and earn money. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

TikTok's parent company ByteDance plans to expand its music services globally

TikTok has again made the headlines. The video platform is reported to have profited by up to 70% from live-streamed videos of refugees begging online for donations.

As per a BBC report,&nbsp; displaced individuals in Syria camps have been using the video sharing platform to ask for donations, which has resulted in an increase of at least 70 per cent in streams.&nbsp;

Children are live-streaming on TikTok for hours asking for money and digital gifts with few followers. Viewers have been seeing similar posts and videos in their feeds for months now. &nbsp; 
 
TikTok said that it will take strong and appropriate action against the exploitative begging.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/experts-issue-warning-after-tiktoks-latest-one-chip-challenge-lands-schoolkid-in-hospital-with-seizures-519828">Also read |&nbsp;Experts issue warning after TikTok's latest 'one chip challenge' lands schoolkid in hospital with seizures</a>

Now if we think of how are people actually accessing the media platform, it's because of 'Tiktok middlemen.' &nbsp;The middlemen provide people in camps with phones and user accounts to access the app. It was claimed that the main purpose of doing this was to encourage people to spend more time streaming.&nbsp;

Mostly UK-based SIMs were used as they were considered to be the most kind gifters. Though these gifts are virtual it actually costs real money to the sender, as they can be withdrawn as cash.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-fines-tiktok-for-violating-russian-laws-on-lgbt-propaganda-522328">Also&nbsp;read |&nbsp;Russia fines TikTok for violating laws on 'LGBT propaganda', Twitch penalised for hosting Arestovych interview</a>

The BBC investigative report claimed that the streams earned up to nearly $1,000 per hour, but the families in camps received a small amount. &nbsp;When inquired, the company said that first this type of content is not allowed to be streamed and second, its commission on digital gifts is less than 70 per cent. However, it did not reveal the exact amount. BBC carried out an experiment where it donated $106, which resulted that only $33 in the Syrian account and 69 per cent was taken by TikTok.&nbsp;

The reduction doesn't end here, the middlemen take 35 per cent of the remaining and then a further reduction of 10 per cent is made when the money was withdrawn from a local shop which left the family with only $19.

In a conversation with BBC, former rugby player Keith Mason donated $330 during his live stream, but later when he came to know about the reduction, he regarded that the company is being unfair to the families.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

TikTok has again made the headlines. The video platform is reported to have profited by up to 70% from live-streamed videos of refugees begging online for donations.

TikTok has again made the headlines. The video platform is reported to have profited by up to 70% from live-streamed videos of refugees begging online for donations. As per a BBC report, displaced individuals in Syria camps have been using the video sharing platform to ask for donations, which has resulted in an increase of at least 70 per cent in streams. Children are live-streaming on TikTok for hours asking for money and digital gifts with few followers. Viewers have been seeing similar posts and videos in their feeds for months now. TikTok said that it will take strong and appropriate action against the exploitative begging. Also read | Experts issue warning after TikTok's latest 'one chip challenge' lands schoolkid in hospital with seizures Now if we think of how are people actually accessing the media platform, it's because of 'Tiktok middlemen.' The middlemen provide people in camps with phones and user accounts to access the app. It was claimed that the main purpose of doing this was to encourage people to spend more time streaming. Mostly UK-based SIMs were used as they were considered to be the most kind gifters. Though these gifts are virtual it actually costs real money to the sender, as they can be withdrawn as cash. Also read | Russia fines TikTok for violating laws on 'LGBT propaganda', Twitch penalised for hosting Arestovych interview The BBC investigative report claimed that the streams earned up to nearly $1,000 per hour, but the families in camps received a small amount. When inquired, the company said that first this type of content is not allowed to be streamed and second, its commission on digital gifts is less than 70 per cent. However, it did not reveal the exact amount. BBC carried out an experiment where it donated $106, which resulted that only $33 in the Syrian account and 69 per cent was taken by TikTok. The reduction doesn't end here, the middlemen take 35 per cent of the remaining and then a further reduction of 10 per cent is made when the money was withdrawn from a local shop which left the family with only $19. In a conversation with BBC, former rugby player Keith Mason donated $330 during his live stream, but later when he came to know about the reduction, he regarded that the company is being unfair to the families. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

TikTok takes 70% of profits from videos of families begging in Syria refugee camps: Report

A little more than a month after a dangerous TikTok trend led to indiscriminate stealing of cars in the US, particularly of the Hyundai and Kia car models, the city of St Louis in Missouri is planning to sue the carmakers for it.

A little more than a month after a dangerous TikTok trend led to indiscriminate stealing of cars in the US, particularly of the Hyundai and Kia car models, the city of St Louis in Missouri is planning to sue the carmakers for it. Reportedly, the city has seen a huge uptick in car thefts in the past few months and the city leadership is now threatening lawsuits against the two companies for making cars that have certain defects which make it easier to steal them than other cars. "With this letter, the city demands that Kia and Hyundai mitigate the defective conditions providing thieves, including teenagers as young as 13 – the instrumentalities by which they are destroying property, endangering city drivers and themselves, and, in some cases, committing violent felonies," read a letter written by City Counselor Sheena Hamilton. "Kia and Hyundai’s defective vehicles have caused a public safety crisis in the city, endangering the health, safety, and peace of all those who live, work or visit the city. Your companies bear the responsibility to mitigate the public nuisance your negligence has created for the city and its residents," read the letter further. Up until last month, 2,409 Hyundais and Kias had been reported stolen compared to just 205 at the same time last year which is an increase of 1,075 per cent. Notably, Hyundai is the parent company of Kia but the two companies operate separately. WATCH | WION Pitstop: Kia Carens review: A premium 6/7-seater × As reported by WION, the main target of the TikTok challenge are 2010-2021 Kia and Hyundai cars which still use mechanical keys and not electronic systems. It makes the cars more vulnerable to theft and the challenge asks the users on the app to take advantage of that and steal it using minimal tools. Read more: TikTok challenge sparks huge spurt in number of car thefts in the United States The thieves are taking videos of their acts and posting them on TikTok using the hashtag “Kia Boys”. It has become a major trend over time and the videos are generating inexplicable interest amongst the netizens. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US city to sue Kia and Hyundai for making cars easier to steal in the viral TikTok challenge

Gone are the days when people would ask for dating tips. TikTok is the new agony aunt in town it seems. Gen Z is now looking up to the Chinese app to get some dating advice and the dating tips are anything but good.

WION Fineprint | TikTok: The new agony aunt in town?

The operating losses at ByteDance, the Beijing-based parent company of the hugely popular video-sharing website <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-fines-tiktok-for-violating-russian-laws-on-lgbt-propaganda-522328">TikTok</a>, more than tripled to more than $7 billion last year, according to a financial report sent to staff, the Wall Street Journal reported today.

The losses were generated as one of China's most prosperous international companies paid to maintain its expansion, the newspaper reported. According to the article, one of the most valuable startups in the world, ByteDance, declared an operating profit in the first quarter of 2022, "showing one of the world's most valuable companies could be turning a corner after years of incurring massive losses."

However, "tens of billions of dollars in unrealized market losses on convertible instruments" have hurt ByteDance's financial performance, according to the Journal. The shared financial reports included the 2019 and 2020&nbsp;as well as the first quarter of 2022, according to the newspaper.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-secret-service-allegedly-covered-up-a-car-accident-involving-kamala-harris-522982">US: Secret Service allegedly covered up a car accident involving VP Kamala Harris</a>

The 2012-founded, privately held ByteDance, best known in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-may-be-evading-us-sanctions-through-a-small-start-up-report-523079">China</a> for its Douyin short-video website, has made a major investment in the virtual reality startup Pico. (This is a linked post.) According to the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires List as of right now, ByteDance's principal creator Zhang Yiming is projected to be worth $49 billion. The estimated net worth of CEO Liang Rubo is $2.3 billion. Additionally, funds connected to Sequoia Capital China, Softbank, Coatue, General Atlantic, and Source Code Capital are shareholders in ByteDance.

Reuters reported last month that ByteDance will spend up to $3 billion to repurchase shares at a price that values the business at about $300 billion, citing a corporate note to investors. According to a source with firsthand knowledge of the strategy who spoke to Reuters, the acquisitions were primarily made to assist particular shareholders in increasing their liquidity.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

The operating losses at ByteDance, the Beijing-based parent company of the hugely popular video-sharing website TikTok, more than tripled to more than $7 billion last year, according to a financial report sent to staff, the Wall Street Journal reported today.

The operating losses at ByteDance, the Beijing-based parent company of the hugely popular video-sharing website TikTok, more than tripled to more than $7 billion last year, according to a financial report sent to staff, the Wall Street Journal reported today. The losses were generated as one of China's most prosperous international companies paid to maintain its expansion, the newspaper reported. According to the article, one of the most valuable startups in the world, ByteDance, declared an operating profit in the first quarter of 2022, "showing one of the world's most valuable companies could be turning a corner after years of incurring massive losses." However, "tens of billions of dollars in unrealized market losses on convertible instruments" have hurt ByteDance's financial performance, according to the Journal. The shared financial reports included the 2019 and 2020 as well as the first quarter of 2022, according to the newspaper. Also read | US: Secret Service allegedly covered up a car accident involving VP Kamala Harris The 2012-founded, privately held ByteDance, best known in China for its Douyin short-video website, has made a major investment in the virtual reality startup Pico. (This is a linked post.) According to the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires List as of right now, ByteDance's principal creator Zhang Yiming is projected to be worth $49 billion. The estimated net worth of CEO Liang Rubo is $2.3 billion. Additionally, funds connected to Sequoia Capital China, Softbank, Coatue, General Atlantic, and Source Code Capital are shareholders in ByteDance. Reuters reported last month that ByteDance will spend up to $3 billion to repurchase shares at a price that values the business at about $300 billion, citing a corporate note to investors. According to a source with firsthand knowledge of the strategy who spoke to Reuters, the acquisitions were primarily made to assist particular shareholders in increasing their liquidity. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Report: Operating loss at TikTok parent ByteDance topped $7 billion last year

Following confirmation that Tesla chief Elon Musk has offered to buy Twitter with his original offer of $44 billion, the tech mogul revealed the reason for his sudden U-turn.

In his first public remarks following since reviving the offer, the 51-year-old billionaire took to Twitter and said that the acquisition of Twitter is an “accelerant to creating X, the everything app.”

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Buying Twitter is an accelerant to creating X, the everything app
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1577428272056389633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Musk further said that buying the microblogging platform has brought forward his X project by three to five years.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I think it would have been easier to just start X from scratch tho
— Larckening (@LarckeningXuruo) <a href="https://twitter.com/LarckeningXuruo/status/1577428458019295232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The inspiration behind creating a super app stems from Musk’s admiration of other similar apps from like China’s WeChat and TikTok that offer more services.

He wants to create X as a super app which will combine messaging, social media, payments-and lack of reliance on ad revenue, similar to WeChat.

Though the Tesla chief executive did not explain further what “X” was and what sort of services it would provide, there is a strong indication that he would pit his project against the rivals like WeChat and TikTok.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg on Tuesday reported that the billionaire was ready to complete the takeover at the original price of $54.20 a share.

The report was confirmed after the filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday was disclosed.

Moreover, lawyers for Musk on Tuesday sent a letter to Twitter offering to honour the original agreement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-confirms-elon-musk-buyout-offer-says-will-close-at-original-price-522496">Twitter confirms Elon Musk buyout offer, says will close at original price</a>

The letter is being reviewed by Twitter lawyers, but reports suggest that the deal has been most likely accepted.

"We received the letter from the Musk parties which they have filed with the SEC," a spokesperson for Twitter said, reports The Verge.

Also read |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-twitter-takeover-live-tesla-ceo-offers-to-buy-social-media-platform-as-per-original-deal-522463" hreflang="en">AS IT HAPPENED - Twitter confirms Musk buyout offer</a>&nbsp;

"The intention of the company is to close the transaction at $54.20 per share"

Earlier on Tuesday, Twitter shares trading was halted as the stock price jumped following reports of reviving the deal. The shares went up by nearly 13 per cent at $47.93 before trading was paused.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE: 

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Following confirmation that Tesla chief Elon Musk has offered to buy Twitter with his original offer of $44 billion, the tech mogul revealed the reason for his sudden U-turn.

Following confirmation that Tesla chief Elon Musk has offered to buy Twitter with his original offer of $44 billion, the tech mogul revealed the reason for his sudden U-turn. In his first public remarks following since reviving the offer, the 51-year-old billionaire took to Twitter and said that the acquisition of Twitter is an “accelerant to creating X, the everything app.” Buying Twitter is an accelerant to creating X, the everything app — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 4, 2022 × Musk further said that buying the microblogging platform has brought forward his X project by three to five years. I think it would have been easier to just start X from scratch tho — Larckening (@LarckeningXuruo) October 4, 2022 × The inspiration behind creating a super app stems from Musk’s admiration of other similar apps from like China’s WeChat and TikTok that offer more services. He wants to create X as a super app which will combine messaging, social media, payments-and lack of reliance on ad revenue, similar to WeChat. Though the Tesla chief executive did not explain further what “X” was and what sort of services it would provide, there is a strong indication that he would pit his project against the rivals like WeChat and TikTok. Meanwhile, Bloomberg on Tuesday reported that the billionaire was ready to complete the takeover at the original price of $54.20 a share. The report was confirmed after the filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday was disclosed. Moreover, lawyers for Musk on Tuesday sent a letter to Twitter offering to honour the original agreement. Also read | Twitter confirms Elon Musk buyout offer, says will close at original price The letter is being reviewed by Twitter lawyers, but reports suggest that the deal has been most likely accepted. "We received the letter from the Musk parties which they have filed with the SEC," a spokesperson for Twitter said, reports The Verge. Also read | AS IT HAPPENED - Twitter confirms Musk buyout offer "The intention of the company is to close the transaction at $54.20 per share" Earlier on Tuesday, Twitter shares trading was halted as the stock price jumped following reports of reviving the deal. The shares went up by nearly 13 per cent at $47.93 before trading was paused. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Elon Musk reveals reason behind reviving Twitter deal

On Tuesday, Russia fined&nbsp;TikTok for failing to remove content that broke Russian rules on "LGBT propaganda."&nbsp;

A Reuters inquiry for comment received no immediate response from either business. Without providing any other information, Interfax said that a TikTok representative in the courtroom had demanded that the proceedings be stopped.&nbsp;

The fines are the most recent development in Moscow's protracted legal battle with Big Tech, which has also included requests for data storage, content-related restrictions, and outright bans.

According to the Tagansky District Court in Moscow, TikTok, which is owned by the Beijing-based IT company ByteDance, was fined 3 million roubles ($51,000).&nbsp;

According to news organisations, the corporation was accused of "promoting non-traditional values, LGBT, feminism and a distorted representation of traditional sexual values" on its platform, which is the basis of the complaint against TikTok.&nbsp;

According to the court, Twitch, which is owned by Amazon, was fined $68,000 or 4 million roubles. The issue, according to news reports, was brought about when Twitch held an interview with Oleksiy Arestovych, a counsellor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

This year, Twitch was penalised 3 million roubles for hosting yet another Arestovych interview.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-to-impose-further-costs-on-iran-for-crackdown-on-protests-joe-biden-says-522203">Anti-hijab protest crackdown: US, Canada announce imposing 'further costs' on Iran</a>

Russia is thinking about extending its 2013 "gay propaganda" law, which prohibits any individual or organisation from endorsing homosexual relationships among youngsters. The law should be amended to cover adults as well, according to lawmakers, and the penalties for exposing children to "LGBT propaganda" should be enhanced.&nbsp;

Human rights advocates claim the rule has been extensively used to frighten Russia's LGBT population. Russian officials claim they are safeguarding morals in the face of what they claim are un-Russian liberal principles propagated by the West.

(with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe>

On Tuesday, Russia fined TikTok for failing to remove content that broke Russian rules on "LGBT propaganda." A Reuters inquiry for comment received no immediate response from either business.

On Tuesday, Russia fined TikTok for failing to remove content that broke Russian rules on "LGBT propaganda." A Reuters inquiry for comment received no immediate response from either business. Without providing any other information, Interfax said that a TikTok representative in the courtroom had demanded that the proceedings be stopped. The fines are the most recent development in Moscow's protracted legal battle with Big Tech, which has also included requests for data storage, content-related restrictions, and outright bans. According to the Tagansky District Court in Moscow, TikTok, which is owned by the Beijing-based IT company ByteDance, was fined 3 million roubles ($51,000). According to news organisations, the corporation was accused of "promoting non-traditional values, LGBT, feminism and a distorted representation of traditional sexual values" on its platform, which is the basis of the complaint against TikTok. According to the court, Twitch, which is owned by Amazon, was fined $68,000 or 4 million roubles. The issue, according to news reports, was brought about when Twitch held an interview with Oleksiy Arestovych, a counsellor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This year, Twitch was penalised 3 million roubles for hosting yet another Arestovych interview. Also Read: Anti-hijab protest crackdown: US, Canada announce imposing 'further costs' on Iran Russia is thinking about extending its 2013 "gay propaganda" law, which prohibits any individual or organisation from endorsing homosexual relationships among youngsters. The law should be amended to cover adults as well, according to lawmakers, and the penalties for exposing children to "LGBT propaganda" should be enhanced. Human rights advocates claim the rule has been extensively used to frighten Russia's LGBT population. Russian officials claim they are safeguarding morals in the face of what they claim are un-Russian liberal principles propagated by the West. (with inputs from agencies)

Russia fines TikTok for violating laws on 'LGBT propaganda', Twitch penalised for hosting Arestovych interview

Twitter is adding new features to make it easier for users to watch and discover videos on its platform. Most notably, the company is launching a scrollable TikTok-like video feed.

WION Fineprint: Twitter is adding a new TikTok-like full-screen video feature

TikTok could face a 27 million-pound ($29 million) fine in the Britain over a possible breach of data protection law by failing to protect children's privacy when they are using the video-sharing platform.

WION Business News | TikTok fails to protect children's policy, UK to fine video-sharing platform

The British government could fine TikTok up to $29 million following an investigation conducted by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) which showed that the company failed to protect children’s privacy. The ICO has already issued a “notice of intent” as the report by the data watchdog claimed that TikTok may have “breached data protection law between May 2018 and July 2020”.

While the fine cannot exceed four per cent of TikTok’s annual turnover, it can still be the biggest fine in history of the ICO beating the $20 million fine imposed on British Airways in 2020 due to an incident that led to hackers gaining access to personal details of more than 400,000 customers.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-defense-test-is-successful-spacecraft-crashes-into-asteroid-519957">NASA's DART spacecraft strikes asteroid in key planetary defence test</a>

The social media platform has been facing a lot of criticisms around the world due to allegations of snooping and breaching data privacy laws. In the United Kingdom, the company was accused by the ICO of processing the data of children below the age of 13 without any “parental consent”.

“We all want children to be able to learn and experience the digital world, but with proper data privacy protections. Companies providing digital services have a legal duty to put those protections in place, but our provisional view is that TikTok fell short of meeting that requirement,” information commissioner John Edwards told The Guardian when asked about the accusations.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bank-of-england-says-it-will-not-hesitate-to-raise-rates-as-pound-struggles-519990">Bank of England says it 'will not hesitate' to raise rates as pound struggles</a>

TikTok did not agree with the ICO’s findings and said that they will answer “in due course”.

“This notice of intent, covering the period May 2018 – July 2020, is provisional and as the ICO itself has stated, no final conclusions can be drawn at this time,” said a spokesperson for the company.

“While we respect the ICO’s role in safeguarding privacy in the UK, we disagree with the preliminary views expressed and intend to formally respond to the ICO in due course,” the company said.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

The British government could fine TikTok up to $29 million following an investigation conducted by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) which showed that the company failed to protect children’s privacy.

The British government could fine TikTok up to $29 million following an investigation conducted by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) which showed that the company failed to protect children’s privacy. The ICO has already issued a “notice of intent” as the report by the data watchdog claimed that TikTok may have “breached data protection law between May 2018 and July 2020”. While the fine cannot exceed four per cent of TikTok’s annual turnover, it can still be the biggest fine in history of the ICO beating the $20 million fine imposed on British Airways in 2020 due to an incident that led to hackers gaining access to personal details of more than 400,000 customers. Also read | NASA's DART spacecraft strikes asteroid in key planetary defence test The social media platform has been facing a lot of criticisms around the world due to allegations of snooping and breaching data privacy laws. In the United Kingdom, the company was accused by the ICO of processing the data of children below the age of 13 without any “parental consent”. “We all want children to be able to learn and experience the digital world, but with proper data privacy protections. Companies providing digital services have a legal duty to put those protections in place, but our provisional view is that TikTok fell short of meeting that requirement,” information commissioner John Edwards told The Guardian when asked about the accusations. Also read | Bank of England says it 'will not hesitate' to raise rates as pound struggles TikTok did not agree with the ICO’s findings and said that they will answer “in due course”. “This notice of intent, covering the period May 2018 – July 2020, is provisional and as the ICO itself has stated, no final conclusions can be drawn at this time,” said a spokesperson for the company. “While we respect the ICO’s role in safeguarding privacy in the UK, we disagree with the preliminary views expressed and intend to formally respond to the ICO in due course,” the company said.

TikTok could face $29 million fine in the UK for failing to protect children’s data privacy

TikTok challenges are all the fad these days, and while they can be fun, and get you, followers, in many cases they have proven to be dangerous as well.

Recently, experts have warned against a newly viral TikTok challenge that is sending people to the hospital. The challenge is called "One Chip Challenge" and in it, participants endure a specific, "incredibly spicy" chip.&nbsp;

After the challenge sent many people, including children, to the hospital in severe pain, health officials and medical experts have warned that the trend may be dangerous.

Watch |&nbsp;WION Fineprint | Why is the one chip challenge being banned?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-fineprint-why-is-the-one-chip-challenge-being-banned-519890/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

States and school districts all around the nation United States have&nbsp;cautioned about the harmful "One Chip Challenge".&nbsp;School districts including Georgia and Colorado have issued warnings to parents about the alarming trend after numerous pupils missed class as a result of the viral challenge.

Hospitalisations resulting from the chip challenge have already been reported in California, Alabama, and Texas. One Texas student even experienced a seizure and lost consciousness in class, reported KBTX.

Here's a video showing the extreme discomfort people go through after consuming the chip:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Ishowspeed tried the one chip challenge and this is how he reacted <a href="https://t.co/C9kI5lVzc7">pic.twitter.com/C9kI5lVzc7</a>
— weirdfusky 1k before bday? (@weirdwario5) <a href="https://twitter.com/weirdwario5/status/1571582287556345856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-fda-warns-against-viral-tiktok-challenge-where-people-cook-food-with-cold-medicine-518410">US FDA warns against viral TikTok challenge where people cook food with flu medicine &nbsp;</a>

As per the Shade Room, the chip packs quite a punch and it has caused many challenge takers to land up in the hospital. The chip in question is the Carolina Reaper Chip by Paqui, a flavoured tortilla chip company, which has also put out the challenge.

"This year’s high voltage chip contains the super-charged Carolina Reaper Pepper and stinging Scorpion Pepper with a shocking twist, it’ll turn your tongue BLUE," reads the Paqui website.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-challenge-sparks-massive-number-of-car-thefts-in-the-united-states-514831">TikTok challenge sparks huge spurt in number of car thefts in the United States</a>

The notorious chip is "hot as hell".&nbsp;Carolina Reaper, which flavours the chip is long considered to be the hottest pepper in the world at 1,641,183 Scoville units.

Each chip must be consumed in its entirety, and participants are instructed to wait as long as they can before eating or drinking anything that might mellow the intense flavour.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

TikTok challenges are all the fad these days, and while they can be fun, and get you, followers, in many cases they have proven to be dangerous as well. Recently, experts have warned against a newly viral TikTok challenge that is sending people to the hospital.

TikTok challenges are all the fad these days, and while they can be fun, and get you, followers, in many cases they have proven to be dangerous as well. Recently, experts have warned against a newly viral TikTok challenge that is sending people to the hospital. The challenge is called "One Chip Challenge" and in it, participants endure a specific, "incredibly spicy" chip. After the challenge sent many people, including children, to the hospital in severe pain, health officials and medical experts have warned that the trend may be dangerous. Watch | WION Fineprint | Why is the one chip challenge being banned? States and school districts all around the nation United States have cautioned about the harmful "One Chip Challenge". School districts including Georgia and Colorado have issued warnings to parents about the alarming trend after numerous pupils missed class as a result of the viral challenge. Hospitalisations resulting from the chip challenge have already been reported in California, Alabama, and Texas. One Texas student even experienced a seizure and lost consciousness in class, reported KBTX. Here's a video showing the extreme discomfort people go through after consuming the chip: Ishowspeed tried the one chip challenge and this is how he reacted pic.twitter.com/C9kI5lVzc7 — weirdfusky 1k before bday? (@weirdwario5) September 18, 2022 × Also read | US FDA warns against viral TikTok challenge where people cook food with flu medicine As per the Shade Room, the chip packs quite a punch and it has caused many challenge takers to land up in the hospital. The chip in question is the Carolina Reaper Chip by Paqui, a flavoured tortilla chip company, which has also put out the challenge. "This year’s high voltage chip contains the super-charged Carolina Reaper Pepper and stinging Scorpion Pepper with a shocking twist, it’ll turn your tongue BLUE," reads the Paqui website. Also read | TikTok challenge sparks huge spurt in number of car thefts in the United States The notorious chip is "hot as hell". Carolina Reaper, which flavours the chip is long considered to be the hottest pepper in the world at 1,641,183 Scoville units. Each chip must be consumed in its entirety, and participants are instructed to wait as long as they can before eating or drinking anything that might mellow the intense flavour. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Experts issue warning after TikTok's latest 'one chip challenge' lands schoolkid in hospital with seizures

Short video sharing platform TikTok is staring at a $29 million fine in UK for endangering and failing to protect the identities of children on its platform. The China-based company was found wanting after an investigation carried out by UK's Information Commissioner Office (ICO).&nbsp;

The regulator in its provisional view asserted that the Bytedance-led platform may have processed data of children under the age of 13 without parental consent.&nbsp;Reportedly, Information Commissioner John Edwards in his findings said TikTok fell short of meeting data privacy protection requirements.

"We all want children to be able to learn and experience the digital world, but with proper data privacy protections. Companies providing digital services have a legal duty to put those protections in place, but our provisional view is that TikTok fell short of meeting that requirement," said Edwards.

Read more:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-wanted-to-open-tiktok-account-to-promote-propaganda-report-501963">&nbsp;China wanted to open TikTok account to promote propaganda: Report</a>

Consequently, the company has been slapped with a 'notice of intent' which is dubbed as a precursor to the fine, which could total up to $29 million or four per cent of the company's global annual turnover. In the process, TikTok has become one of the first social media companies to be issued such a formal notice.

TikTok in response said it will challenge the notice, "This Notice of Intent, covering the period May 2018-July 2020, is provisional and as the ICO itself has stated, no final conclusions can be drawn at this time," said a company spokesperson.

"While we respect the ICO's role in safeguarding privacy in the UK, we disagree with the preliminary views expressed and intend to formally respond to the ICO in due course," the company added.&nbsp;

This is not the first time that TikTok has been asked to cough up fines related to child privacy matters. In&nbsp;early 2019, the company agreed to pay $5.7 million to US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to settle accusations that it had collected personal information of children on its platform by illegal means.&nbsp;

Read more<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-under-fire-for-promoting-weight-loss-aids-to-children-518566">:&nbsp;TikTok under fire for promoting weight loss aids to children</a>

According to the US Department of Justice, TikTok had violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), under which websites and social media platforms such as TikTok are required to obtain parental consent before harvesting the personal information of minors.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp; 
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe> &nbsp;

Short video sharing platform TikTok is staring at a $29 million fine in UK for endangering and failing to protect the identities of children on its platform. The China-based company was found wanting after an investigation carried out by UK's Information Commissioner Office (ICO).

Short video sharing platform TikTok is staring at a $29 million fine in UK for endangering and failing to protect the identities of children on its platform. The China-based company was found wanting after an investigation carried out by UK's Information Commissioner Office (ICO). The regulator in its provisional view asserted that the Bytedance-led platform may have processed data of children under the age of 13 without parental consent. Reportedly, Information Commissioner John Edwards in his findings said TikTok fell short of meeting data privacy protection requirements. "We all want children to be able to learn and experience the digital world, but with proper data privacy protections. Companies providing digital services have a legal duty to put those protections in place, but our provisional view is that TikTok fell short of meeting that requirement," said Edwards. Read more: China wanted to open TikTok account to promote propaganda: Report Consequently, the company has been slapped with a 'notice of intent' which is dubbed as a precursor to the fine, which could total up to $29 million or four per cent of the company's global annual turnover. In the process, TikTok has become one of the first social media companies to be issued such a formal notice. TikTok in response said it will challenge the notice, "This Notice of Intent, covering the period May 2018-July 2020, is provisional and as the ICO itself has stated, no final conclusions can be drawn at this time," said a company spokesperson. "While we respect the ICO's role in safeguarding privacy in the UK, we disagree with the preliminary views expressed and intend to formally respond to the ICO in due course," the company added. This is not the first time that TikTok has been asked to cough up fines related to child privacy matters. In early 2019, the company agreed to pay $5.7 million to US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to settle accusations that it had collected personal information of children on its platform by illegal means. Read more: TikTok under fire for promoting weight loss aids to children According to the US Department of Justice, TikTok had violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), under which websites and social media platforms such as TikTok are required to obtain parental consent before harvesting the personal information of minors. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

TikTok could face $29 million in fines in UK for endangering children's privacy

Cooking chicken in cough medicine NyQuil is not only silly and unappetizing but can also be very unsafe, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said, following the "sleepy chicken" TikTok challenge. Eric Njoka tells you all about this dangerous TikTok trend.

WION Fineprint | Don't cook chicken in NyQuil, FDA warns after TikTok challenge

TikTok has removed postings marketing migraine and epilepsy medications to those under the age of 18 as weight loss aids, following complaints that hosting them posed a risk to the health of young people.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;social media site took action when the Pharmaceutical Journal reported that users were being given prescription medications as diet tablets.

Despite being listed as a female under 16, the journal discovered that adverts for epilepsy, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-severe-victorian-disease-is-making-a-comeback-in-uk-warns-nhs-read-all-about-the-symptoms-and-more-518353">alcohol</a> and addiction, and migraine medications were marketed to a TikTok user.

The prescription medicines that were most frequently referenced in the posts were the appetite suppressant phentermine and its products. In the UK, phentermine is not authorised for use.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-fda-warns-against-viral-tiktok-challenge-where-people-cook-food-with-cold-medicine-518410">US FDA warns against viral TikTok challenge where people cook food with flu medicine&nbsp;</a>

The journal discovered that during 90 minutes of monitoring the platform's output, 31 of the top 100 posts encouraged the usage of diet pills by those seeking to lose weight. However, medical professionals opined that doing this could injure people of all ages and was "totally improper." Some of the medications TikTok advertised have been connected to major negative effects like birth abnormalities.

The journal claimed TikTok did remove some videos, but not every one it had discovered. The hashtag "diet pills" had been examined, and "several accounts" that sold weight-loss medications had been <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-restricts-access-to-instagram-amid-intensifying-protests-518548">blocked</a>, as reported by the Guardian.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, TikTok came under fire for allowing cannabis-based treats that were altered to resemble Skittles and Haribo candy packages to be sold on its platform.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

TikTok has removed postings marketing migraine and epilepsy medications to those under the age of 18 as weight loss aids, following complaints that hosting them posed a risk to the health of young people.

TikTok has removed postings marketing migraine and epilepsy medications to those under the age of 18 as weight loss aids, following complaints that hosting them posed a risk to the health of young people. The social media site took action when the Pharmaceutical Journal reported that users were being given prescription medications as diet tablets. Despite being listed as a female under 16, the journal discovered that adverts for epilepsy, alcohol and addiction, and migraine medications were marketed to a TikTok user. The prescription medicines that were most frequently referenced in the posts were the appetite suppressant phentermine and its products. In the UK, phentermine is not authorised for use. Also read | US FDA warns against viral TikTok challenge where people cook food with flu medicine The journal discovered that during 90 minutes of monitoring the platform's output, 31 of the top 100 posts encouraged the usage of diet pills by those seeking to lose weight. However, medical professionals opined that doing this could injure people of all ages and was "totally improper." Some of the medications TikTok advertised have been connected to major negative effects like birth abnormalities. The journal claimed TikTok did remove some videos, but not every one it had discovered. The hashtag "diet pills" had been examined, and "several accounts" that sold weight-loss medications had been blocked, as reported by the Guardian. On Wednesday, TikTok came under fire for allowing cannabis-based treats that were altered to resemble Skittles and Haribo candy packages to be sold on its platform. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

TikTok under fire for promoting weight loss aids to children

The competition between YouTube and TikTok has grown quite intense in the past few months. With several viewers and creators turning towards TikTok, YouTube has come up with a new strategy.

The Google-owned streaming service said on Tuesday that it will be giving video creators of the platform 45 per cent of the total revenue generated from its video feature – Shorts.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-and-canadian-warships-sail-through-taiwan-strait-second-time-in-three-weeks-518244">US &amp; Canadian warships sail through Taiwan Strait, second time in three weeks</a>

It is standard practice for the company to share 55 percent of the revenue for content created on the main website and with this development, there will be parity on all of its platforms. This move is expected to counter the $1 billion fund that TikTok has for paying creators, according to Reuters.

Earlier this year, YouTube introduced a $100 million fund for creators who will be making videos on the Shorts feature. The 45 per cent share is a further addition to the already established plan.

According to New York Times, the advertisement revenue has gone up by around 9 per cent in the last year for YouTube and the official figure was somewhere around $14.2 billion.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-modis-no-war-comment-to-putin-lauded-by-france-and-united-states-518236">PM Modi's 'no war' comment to Putin lauded by France and United States</a>

“YouTube is sharing a smaller proportion of sales with Shorts creators to offset its significant investment in developing the feature”, Vice President Tara Walpert Levy told NYT.

However, when it comes to users, TikTok has become a major competition in the space. The application, known for extremely short videos and viral dance content, already has 1 billion users.

The Shorts feature was launched as a direct competition and these new moves are being considered to be the push that the new venture needs to excel in the market.

The competition between YouTube and TikTok has grown quite intense in the past few months. With several viewers and creators turning towards TikTok, YouTube has come up with a new strategy.

The competition between YouTube and TikTok has grown quite intense in the past few months. With several viewers and creators turning towards TikTok, YouTube has come up with a new strategy. The Google-owned streaming service said on Tuesday that it will be giving video creators of the platform 45 per cent of the total revenue generated from its video feature – Shorts. Also read | US & Canadian warships sail through Taiwan Strait, second time in three weeks It is standard practice for the company to share 55 percent of the revenue for content created on the main website and with this development, there will be parity on all of its platforms. This move is expected to counter the $1 billion fund that TikTok has for paying creators, according to Reuters. Earlier this year, YouTube introduced a $100 million fund for creators who will be making videos on the Shorts feature. The 45 per cent share is a further addition to the already established plan. According to New York Times, the advertisement revenue has gone up by around 9 per cent in the last year for YouTube and the official figure was somewhere around $14.2 billion. Also read | PM Modi's 'no war' comment to Putin lauded by France and United States “YouTube is sharing a smaller proportion of sales with Shorts creators to offset its significant investment in developing the feature”, Vice President Tara Walpert Levy told NYT. However, when it comes to users, TikTok has become a major competition in the space. The application, known for extremely short videos and viral dance content, already has 1 billion users. The Shorts feature was launched as a direct competition and these new moves are being considered to be the push that the new venture needs to excel in the market.

YouTube to give Shorts creators 45 per cent revenue share to compete with TikTok

tiktok

Tiktok, News on Tiktok, stories on Tiktok, articles on Tiktok, Tiktok stories at Wion, Tiktok news, Tiktok latest news