If anybody else would do this, the app would be taken down immediately from the App Store.
Probably the developer account banned too.
It is Spyware. Nothing else.
See what JavaScript commands get injected through an in-app browser
171–180 of 330 posts
Re: See what JavaScript commands get injected through an in-app browser
#172Apple and Google have guidelines about what apps are/aren't allowed to if they want to be on their app store. "Protecting the user" is supposed to be one reasons they take a 30% cut of all in app purchases. Apple even uses this as an excuse to not allow side loading apps. How are they not blocking this?
Google isn't blocking this because it would be a silver bullet to FTC for aiding Youtube. Apple isn't blocking this because they are beholden to China.
Re: See what JavaScript commands get injected through an in-app browser
#173I just don't understand how we can allow a Chinese social media app in the west, while any non-chinese social media apps aren't allowed there? Same with housing, why can Chinese nationals buy housing here, while I can't do so there?
So, I see this bandied about a lot, but I don't see the big deal in being spied on by a government that has 0 say in my entire hemisphere? Like, I have much bigger concerns about spying done on behalf of the five eyes alliance than China (obviously this would be the opposite if I was living in China). What are they going to do with my silly viewing habits, sell my data to advertisers? Well, same deal with youtube, go…
> So, I see this bandied about a lot, but I don't see the big deal in being spied on by a government that has 0 say in my entire hemisphere?
You idiot.
Re: See what JavaScript commands get injected through an in-app browser
#174When I used TikTok on Android, it was the most infuriating in-app browser experience because it had no way to open the URL in your real browser. Not even a way to copy the URL to your clipboard. I guess now I understand why
Re: See what JavaScript commands get injected through an in-app browser
#175So let me get this straight: If I click a link inside the Instagram app, that for whatever reason takes me to gmail or microsoft or wherever that requires authentication, and I decide to login on that page so I can view the link in question, Meta and TikTok are able to capture my credentials and ingest the data back in to their metrics and analytics pipelines? Is that even f*cking legal?
If you use the platform, you've expressly agreed to this behavior. You can't create an account without affirming that you read and agreed to their policies and terms of use.
Instagram's privacy policy: https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy/
>We call all of the things you can do on our Products "activity." We collect your activity across our Products and information you provide, such as: [...] Apps and features you use, and what actions you take in them.
Tiktok's USA privacy policy: https://www.tiktok.com/legal/privacy-policy-us
>We collect information when you create an account or use the Platform. We also collect information you share with us from third-party social network providers, and technical and behavioral information about your use of the Platform. [...]
>We may collect information about you from third-party services, such as advertising partners, data providers, and analytics providers.
Aren't EULAs fun?
Re: See what JavaScript commands get injected through an in-app browser
#176Is this the exact type of security Apple is supposed to be protecting its customers from?
Re: See what JavaScript commands get injected through an in-app browser
#177Earlier quoted context omitted.
> how we can allow a Chinese social media app in the west, while any non-chinese social media apps aren't allowed there? Because we are the West, and China is China. We have different laws and customs.
Why does that mean that a Chinese social media app can capture data unlawfully under GDPR, CCPA or or other regulations?
It doesn’t mean that, and the comment I was responding to wasn’t talking about that, but merely the fact that the app is Chinese.
Re: See what JavaScript commands get injected through an in-app browser
#178So let me get this straight: If I click a link inside the Instagram app, that for whatever reason takes me to gmail or microsoft or wherever that requires authentication, and I decide to login on that page so I can view the link in question, Meta and TikTok are able to capture my credentials and ingest the data back in to their metrics and analytics pipelines? Is that even f*cking legal?
For what it's worth, Google doesn't allow you to log into your Google Account in a in-app browser for this exact reason... unless you enable some "Insecure App" settings in Google Admin settings.
Re: See what JavaScript commands get injected through an in-app browser
#179Why on earth is this even allowed in IOS in the first place ? Why do apps have the ability to control and change the browser? Instead of using the default one? Like android.
I assure you Android is capable of the exact same thing.
A lot of apps use webviews to render HTML, often in ways where you wouldn't even notice it's web content. Apps shouldn't use webviews to render external web sites but nothing in the APIs restrict them from doing so (recent versions of iOS have made it seem like they're heading in that direction but nothing concrete).
Easiest thing would be for Apple and Google to enforce this via denying app approvals. Would be a very interesting fight against apps this popular, though.
Re: See what JavaScript commands get injected through an in-app browser
#180Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why is it unfair?
Because non-Chinese companies cannot compete in the Chinese market place without strict handicaps. Some cannot participate at all. However the true question here is more likely to be "what does unfair mean".
There are tradeoffs to protectionism that are inherent disadvantages in the strategy itself that doesn’t need someone to make it a disadvantage. Otherwise all countries would be protectionist all the time.
Tik tok dominating is just good old outcompeting the competition.
Protectionist strategies create less domestic competition, resulting in underdeveloped industries that would die off in the face of real competition. So if Chinese companies are insulated from outside competition then in theory they should have a harder time developing globally competitive products. If we continue to allow TikTok and other Chinese products it is not without inherent benefits of increased competition driving better domestic competitiveness.
Of course it just all looks like we are getting screwed because TikTok is outcompeting despite all this, but banning or hobbling it will just make Facebook et al complacent and likely even less competitive in the global market.
We need the competition, basically, if for no other reason than the fact that a competitive market is what underpins healthy capitalism.
Plus, subsidies are simply another form of protectionism and the US heavily engages in this too. We can’t pick and choose when protectionist policies are applied because everyone is doing it in certain industries.