China could be harvesting TikTok data, but much of the user information is already out in the open

Experts have been considering whether TikTok is worse in terms of privacy or security than other, US-based apps. Shutterstock / Primakov

The social media app TikTok has been a focus for concerns that the Chinese government could access data on individual users. Whether the app poses a security risk remains unclear, but TikTok has now been banned from government devices in several countries.

However, reports suggest that computer-based tools designed to collect data from publically available sources can also collate extensive information on TikTok users – as well as those on other networking apps. These Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) tools need no special access to apps. This raises questions that apply to all forms of social media.