This has been a tough week for TikTok, and it's one that it can't wait to see end. The ByteDance-owned platform has been in a state of panic amid allegations of data mismanagement and censorship. But the aftermath hasn't been kind at all, as a beta version of Apple's iOS 14 caught the app secretly accessing clipboards , which of course set off a chain reaction.
It is not known whether India planned to announce the ban on TikTok, along with 58 other Chinese apps, in advance or whether it was prompted by the iOS security issue. But either way, TikTok has been removed from the App Store and Play Store in India, one of the world's largest markets. Other markets around the world also appear to be receiving user protests.
One of the most unusual groups campaigning against TikTok is Anonymous. As always with Anonymous, it's hard to attribute anything to the nonexistent core of this loosely connected hacker group, but a Twitter that appears to be the group's official account has been running a campaign against TikTok for several weeks.
“Delete TikTok now,” today’s tweet said, “if you know anyone who uses it, explain to them that it is essentially malware from the Chinese government running a massive espionage operation.”.
The initial issue that prompted Anonymous to target TikTok appears to be Anonymous’ “misrepresentation” on TikTok itself, with the creation of an account. “Anonymous does not have an account on TikTok,” a tweet from the same Twitter account said on June 6, “it is an app created as spyware by the Chinese government.”
This puts TikTok in the somewhat odd position of uniting various governments with Anonymous.
What we expect to see is whether TikTok will face hacking attacks from now on. It wouldn't surprise us if the app falls victim to various hacks or DDoS attacks.
So why does it matter? It's natural for governments to express their concerns, warning about the dangers of TikTok. But on the other hand, Anonymous trying to convince users to delete the app through their campaign is something entirely different and could divide the world.
