FaceTime alternative ToTok is a spy tool, purged from App Store
Popular social messaging app ToTok has been found to spy on its users -- and it likely was developed by the government of the United Arab Emirates to keep tabs on its citizens.
Similar to WhatsApp and Skype, Emirati user-to-user messaging app, ToTok, is designed to connect people. However, American officials have found that the app has a far more sinister purpose.
Officials have found that the government of the United Arab Emirates have been using ToTok to track users. This includes, but is not limited to data mining text conversations, collection of physical locations through location services, and recording of any sound and audio used by the device.
The appeal of ToTok was that it functioned well in countries, like the United Arab Emirates, that have restricted other more popular messaging services. This is, in part, why ToTok had gained popularity in the Middle East, as many citizens are not able to use popular messaging apps like WhatsApp.
Originally available for both Android and Apple devices, ToTok had gained popularity in the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Africa, and more recently in North America. Chinese telecom giant Huawei even promoted the app in advertisements.
Both Apple and Google have removed the app from their app stores. Users who previously downloaded ToTok will still be able to use the app until they manually remove it from their phones.
Its user base is primarily based in the UAE. But, during its few months of availability, it became one of the most downloaded social apps in the United States prior to its removal from the App Store and Google Play.
According to the New York Times, it is unclear when intelligence officials first determined that ToTok was being used to track users and mine data. One person familiar with the situation had said that American officials have warned some allies internally about the dangers of ToTok
Similar to WhatsApp and Skype, Emirati user-to-user messaging app, ToTok, is designed to connect people. However, American officials have found that the app has a far more sinister purpose.
Officials have found that the government of the United Arab Emirates have been using ToTok to track users. This includes, but is not limited to data mining text conversations, collection of physical locations through location services, and recording of any sound and audio used by the device.
The appeal of ToTok was that it functioned well in countries, like the United Arab Emirates, that have restricted other more popular messaging services. This is, in part, why ToTok had gained popularity in the Middle East, as many citizens are not able to use popular messaging apps like WhatsApp.
Originally available for both Android and Apple devices, ToTok had gained popularity in the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Africa, and more recently in North America. Chinese telecom giant Huawei even promoted the app in advertisements.
Both Apple and Google have removed the app from their app stores. Users who previously downloaded ToTok will still be able to use the app until they manually remove it from their phones.
Its user base is primarily based in the UAE. But, during its few months of availability, it became one of the most downloaded social apps in the United States prior to its removal from the App Store and Google Play.
According to the New York Times, it is unclear when intelligence officials first determined that ToTok was being used to track users and mine data. One person familiar with the situation had said that American officials have warned some allies internally about the dangers of ToTok
Comments
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Eventually
and also:
” Officials have found that the government of the United Arab Emirates have been using ToTok to track users. This includes, but is not limited to data mining text conversations, collection of physical locations through location services, and recording of any sound and audio used by the device.”
Isn’t that essentially what FB, Google, and Alexa all do to varying degrees?
These be officials from the same political system that wants to make it law that all software and operating systems allow them to do this on everyone?
FFS
So the only difference between ToTalk and Facebook is that one f's you up while the other makes a profit off you and then f's you up.
One of my relatives lives in the far east and the iPhones she buys there don't have the FaceTime either.
You realize that "Mal"ware is the most general term possible, covering all sorts of malicious and maligned software, so saying that your purchased app had malware is not saying much. What type of malware was it? What damage did you (potentially) suffer? Did you discover this yourself and request a refund, or was the refund issued to you and that's what drew your attention to the situation? What was the name of the app? Is there an article online discussing the incident? So many questions.
Have a nice holiday, too. I hope Santa brings you a shiny new tinfoil hat.