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TikTok app to stop accessing user clipboards after being caught in the act

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Re: TikTok app to stop accessing user clipboards after being caught in the act

#91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> My Daughter: " has TikTok!" > Me: " is a Chinese asset!" I cannot believe this is allowed on this forum. IIRC, you are suggesting some individual in your daughter's school, presumably a Chinese ethnic, is a "Chinese asset"? What do you mean by "Chinese asset"? Edit: It seems I read the asset wrong. See replies below.

if you accept the premise that tiktok is collecting data for the chinese government, then anyone using the app would indeed be an asset

I cannot begin to imagine how my adolescenct daughter could be of any possible use to the middle kingdom. Remotely, via a dance app.

Re: TikTok app to stop accessing user clipboards after being caught in the act

#92
Apple manually reviews the code of every app update. Why aren't they blocking this functionality from getting released in the first place?

I feel like every time I submit an app update I get questioned about why my app needs access to $xyz feature.

Re: TikTok app to stop accessing user clipboards after being caught in the act

#93

The security implications of allowing communications on a platform that is subject to the absolute control of a foreign government, seems like a very very bad idea. That can be a lesson learned the easy way or the hard way.

> a platform that is subject to the absolute control of a foreign government I'm sure you would argue that Google, MS and Apple are completely independent of the US government.

The issue is (as far as I know) the CCP has unfettered access to Chinese apps. On the other hand, the US government has to ask. While Google, MS, Apple, etc have all said "yes" plenty of times, they also have said "no" and are doing so more frequently as public opinion is changing on privacy. Literally the ability to say no is a big difference.

If I am wrong about the unfettered access, let me know.

Re: TikTok app to stop accessing user clipboards after being caught in the act

#94
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google Maps has a clear use case for accessing the clipboard. If Tok Tok only accessed the clipboard on launch to check for a Tik Tok URL, that might be one thing, but there's no clear reason Tik Tok would need access to the clipboard literally every 3 keystrokes.

What is the clear use case for "accessing the clipboard"?

I assume Google accesses the clipboard to see if there's an address in there and search for it. Whether that's a good use case or not is up for debate.

Personally I was surprised to learn that apps could read directly from the clipboard at all. I would've thought that was purely managed by the system and not given to the app until actually pasted.

Re: TikTok app to stop accessing user clipboards after being caught in the act

#95
post #43
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google Maps has a clear use case for accessing the clipboard. If Tok Tok only accessed the clipboard on launch to check for a Tik Tok URL, that might be one thing, but there's no clear reason Tik Tok would need access to the clipboard literally every 3 keystrokes.

> Google Maps has a clear use case for accessing the clipboard. I don't think it does. Neither application should "access" the clipboard.

I keep reading about naughty apps and wondering will the OS ever lock this stuff down.

Re: TikTok app to stop accessing user clipboards after being caught in the act

#96
post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't want to put words in your mouth but if you are implying that the US influence over Google, MS, and Apple is comparable to China's influence over TikTok and other Chinese companies then that is an utterly false equivalence. I don't have links but it is well established the role and influence CCP has in Chinese companies and US companies have gone to great legal lengths to restrict the US Government's involveme…

>US companies have gone to great legal lengths to restrict the US Government's involvement in certain areas Yeah, they spend a fortune on lobbying - nonetheless they are very compliant with the US "national security". Keep them downvotes coming, Snowden never blew a whistle.

I'm sure the government considers the years long ongoing battle between Apple and the FBI over device encryption to be "very compliant".

Re: TikTok app to stop accessing user clipboards after being caught in the act

#97
post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My Daughter: "Dad let me install TikTok!" Me: "No. It is Chinese spyware." My Daughter: " has TikTok!" Me: " is a Chinese asset!" My Daughter: "No she's not!" Every day.

> My Daughter: " has TikTok!" > Me: " is a Chinese asset!" I cannot believe this is allowed on this forum. IIRC, you are suggesting some individual in your daughter's school, presumably a Chinese ethnic, is a "Chinese asset"? What do you mean by "Chinese asset"? Edit: It seems I read the asset wrong. See replies below.

get outta here

Re: TikTok app to stop accessing user clipboards after being caught in the act

#98
post #13
post #9

This is so ridiculous. Google Maps accesses the clipboard. Try it out: copy an address and open maps. So do Facebook and Instagram, I’m sure. The level of paranoia in the Valley is astounding.

Google Maps has a clear use case for accessing the clipboard. If Tok Tok only accessed the clipboard on launch to check for a Tik Tok URL, that might be one thing, but there's no clear reason Tik Tok would need access to the clipboard literally every 3 keystrokes.

It’s fine if an app has a valid use case to access clipboard. I have found it really convenient myself. I think the crux of the issue is that the apps should be forced to get permission from the user first, on a per-app basis.

Re: TikTok app to stop accessing user clipboards after being caught in the act

#99
post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is the clear use case for "accessing the clipboard"?

I assume Google accesses the clipboard to see if there's an address in there and search for it. Whether that's a good use case or not is up for debate. Personally I was surprised to learn that apps could read directly from the clipboard at all. I would've thought that was purely managed by the system and not given to the app until actually pasted.

Why not just have granular “clipboard” permission that could be granted or denied per-app?

Personally, I like the ease-of-use I get out of google maps grabbing addresses from my clipboard. Not everyone would like it though, and that is ok. They could decline the permission request.

But I don’t want other random apps being able to grab that info without permission.

Re: TikTok app to stop accessing user clipboards after being caught in the act

#100

The security implications of allowing communications on a platform that is subject to the absolute control of a foreign government, seems like a very very bad idea. That can be a lesson learned the easy way or the hard way.

> subject to the absolute control of a foreign government

National Security letters mean that for 95.75% of the world's population, what you just said applies to the USA.

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