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UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks

texastribune.org

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Re: UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks

#11

Post by tarotuser »

mybhslaptop wrote: post #3

High schoolers are used to having VPNs for school, time for college students to do that too. Especially since on-campus students have to live with managed WiFi in dorms too. It's unfortunate to see this political censorship affect grown adults who can make their own decisions - but just happen to be at a state university.

You can say "Use a VPN"... However on multiple VPN providers, Tiktok blocks those endpoints. Instead of the Tiktok feed, you get a rude 403 error for any page.

Tiktok really REALLY wants to know your real IP address.

(edit: this comment pertains to the web page through a browser, not the Tiktok app. I did not test the app+vpn.)

Re: UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks

#15

Post by guessbest »

> In a statement, a representative from TikTok said they are disappointed by the news.

> "We're disappointed that so many states are jumping on the political bandwagon to enact policies that will do nothing to advance cybersecurity in their states and are based on unfounded falsehoods about TikTok," spokesperson Jamal Brown wrote.

Regardless of you stance on Texas and Texans and politics, the above is a pretty funny statement to make. We have to protect the integrity of short video apps that are built for advertisers to push products and services through ads and influencers.

Re: UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks

#16

Post by NickC25 »

remarkEon wrote: post #2

>"We're disappointed that so many states are jumping on the political bandwagon to enact policies that will do nothing to advance cybersecurity in their states and are based on unfounded falsehoods about TikTok," spokesperson Jamal Brown wrote. "We're especially sorry to see the unintended consequences of these rushed policies beginning to impact universities' ability to share information, recruit students, and build…

He's a lobbyist by any other definition of the word. "Spokesman" is kind of a cop-out to deliberately undersell why he's working with TikTok/Bytedance.

Re: UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks

#19

Post by boomboomsubban »

tarotuser wrote: post #11
mybhslaptop wrote: post #3

High schoolers are used to having VPNs for school, time for college students to do that too. Especially since on-campus students have to live with managed WiFi in dorms too. It's unfortunate to see this political censorship affect grown adults who can make their own decisions - but just happen to be at a state university.

You can say "Use a VPN"... However on multiple VPN providers, Tiktok blocks those endpoints. Instead of the Tiktok feed, you get a rude 403 error for any page. Tiktok really REALLY wants to know your real IP address. (edit: this comment pertains to the web page through a browser, not the Tiktok app. I did not test the app+vpn.)

Or IP addresses associated with VPNs are often found to do things that violate TikTok's ToS.
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