What's the security/privacy vulnerability that would allow TikTok access to sensitive info from email?
Contacts at least, as the lowest-hanging fruit.
Amazon says email banning TikTok from employee phones was ‘sent in error’
81–90 of 496 posts
Re: Amazon says email banning TikTok from employee phones was ‘sent in error’
#82Earlier quoted context omitted.
Does Amazon provide company phones or just install an MDM profile on your personal phone? I have TikTok installed on my phone, and if my employer said I had to remove it to access my work email, I'd ask them to buy me a work phone. It seems a bit ridiculous that they'd want to control what apps you download on your personal device without providing an alternative.
Microsoft does the latter, so it wouldn't surprise me if Amazon does likewise.
> Does Amazon provide company phones or just install an MDM profile on your personal phone?
> Microsoft does the latter, so it wouldn't surprise me if Amazon does likewise.
Not true (source: current MSFT employee). More detailed explanation below, as neither former nor latter describes MSFT accurately.
So, for most teams and positions (there are many exceptions), you don't get a dedicated work phone. So yeah, if you want to access work stuff on a mobile device, you need to install MSFT MDM on your personal phone, and they will, allegedly, be able to control stuff on it (depending on the device itself and how MDM is configured).
However, there are no requirements to do it. You can simply not install any work-related stuff on your phone, so you won't need an MDM. I simply don't access any work resources on my personal phone. If I need to do work, i open my work laptop. If they want me to use work apps on mobile and be accessible, they should provide a company phone for this.
There have been zero conflicts around it on my end, even after multiple years of working there on multiple different teams. Not once have I even got an implied request from anyone (managers, colleagues, etc.) to be accessible on mobile (except for when I am on-call, but for that, they just need my phone number, not any specific apps installed on my phone, and everyone knows it) or any questions about it. Everyone is totally cool with people not being glued to their work apps on their phones on their own free time.
But you are correct, those who choose to use work apps have to give MDM permissions to their personal devices or buy a dedicated device for that (exceptions apply, because there are some teams that provide dedicated work phones). However, unless it is required for the job to be able to use work apps on your mobile device, I think it is fair if they don't provide a work phone. Makes it easier for me to not check on any work stuff during the weekend.
Re: Amazon says email banning TikTok from employee phones was ‘sent in error’
#83Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm curious, are these 1. Devices owned by Amazon, for work 2. Personal devices with the amazon email added directly 3. Personal devices with amazon email added on Work profile Could not find this info in the articles or tweet.
They're devices that are under Amazon's MDM. So if the device was enrolled with their MDM then it applies.
Mobile Device Management
Re: Amazon says email banning TikTok from employee phones was ‘sent in error’
#84Earlier quoted context omitted.
From what I read, I think the issue is people keep claiming it does all this various "spyware" stuff, when it sounds like it's doing nothing that any other app could do, given the (what appear to be) lax permissions of android/ios. If people are so worried about what tiktok can be gathering outside of the app, that is a problem for apple & google. For this, I think it's 100% overblown what people think tiktok is doin…
It was the whole read write access that was a massive violation of apple and googles store policy. It can upload and download whatever to your phone. No other app is even close to allowed that.
Can you please point to any evidence or source? I've never heard of this happening (beyond what every other app can do in terms of downloading and uploading data) and the wording isn't clear as to what exactly you mean.
Re: Amazon says email banning TikTok from employee phones was ‘sent in error’
#85Earlier quoted context omitted.
Does Amazon provide company phones or just install an MDM profile on your personal phone? I have TikTok installed on my phone, and if my employer said I had to remove it to access my work email, I'd ask them to buy me a work phone. It seems a bit ridiculous that they'd want to control what apps you download on your personal device without providing an alternative.
No, they are controlling the environment under which their company emails can be accessed. If you, as an employee, don't want to remove TikTok I believe you will have that right, it's just that you won't be able to access company emails from that device. Now, whether or not that leads to a company phone or you having to look for another job, depends on the individual and how important that individual is to the compan…
If any company expects me to access my work email while mobile, they have to provide a phone. I never mix work and personal. I've also never had a company say no to that.
Re: Amazon says email banning TikTok from employee phones was ‘sent in error’
#86Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm curious, are these 1. Devices owned by Amazon, for work 2. Personal devices with the amazon email added directly 3. Personal devices with amazon email added on Work profile Could not find this info in the articles or tweet.
They're devices that are under Amazon's MDM. So if the device was enrolled with their MDM then it applies.
I'm surprised devices enrolled in their MDM would have EVER allowed Tik Tok in the first place.
Re: Amazon says email banning TikTok from employee phones was ‘sent in error’
#87Note: since this tweet/submission, some outlets have written stories about this: https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/10/21320196/amazon-employees... https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/10/technology/tiktok-amazon-...
I'm curious, are these 1. Devices owned by Amazon, for work 2. Personal devices with the amazon email added directly 3. Personal devices with amazon email added on Work profile Could not find this info in the articles or tweet.
AMZN employee here - In my case, it's (3)
Re: Amazon says email banning TikTok from employee phones was ‘sent in error’
#88Note: since this tweet/submission, some outlets have written stories about this: https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/10/21320196/amazon-employees... https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/10/technology/tiktok-amazon-...
I'm curious, are these 1. Devices owned by Amazon, for work 2. Personal devices with the amazon email added directly 3. Personal devices with amazon email added on Work profile Could not find this info in the articles or tweet.
I don't think any mid-large company allows 2 anymore. Access to company resources always comes with an MDM policy.
Re: Amazon says email banning TikTok from employee phones was ‘sent in error’
#89What's the security/privacy vulnerability that would allow TikTok access to sensitive info from email?
Likely that they have the potential to have as much information about us as Facebook does - but China?
If there was a real security/privacy issue - I'd be more upset with Apple than China (as an iPhone user). Apple needs to watch my back.
Re: Amazon says email banning TikTok from employee phones was ‘sent in error’
#90Earlier quoted context omitted.
I would like to know what US laws TikTok has violated first.
Yeah, not to defend Tik-Tok, China, or spyware in general, but it's ironic that nobody has a problem with Google, Facebook, and other American companies tracking everything people do, but when a Chinese company starts doing it, it's suddenly a big problem. But then again, TikTok probably doesn't answer their subpoenas...
Yeah the difference is that if FB violates my rights, I have some recourse. Not so if its the CCP.