In an attempt to boost engagement, former TikTok employees claim they were able to find out a list of users watching gay content on the app. The information allegedly sparked worker complaints.
Is TikTok guilty of tacking users who watch gay content?
According to former employees who protested, the popular video app reportedly compiled a list of users and monitored them after they watched gay content. They revealed TikTok kept tabs on people frequently watching clips tagged under LGBTQ+ headings. Former employees revealed the compilation of storage of user habits to the Wall Street Journal.
As per the report, ex-employees from the US, UK, and Australia flagged the issue to the executives in 2020 and 2021. The WSJ reported they expressed concerns that this information could be dangerous to outside parties. In a statement to the WSJ, TikTok stated “Safeguarding the privacy and security of people who use TikTok is one of our top priorities.”
GLAAD demanded tech firms take measures to safeguard users‘ privacy
Last year, GLAAD, a prominent LGBT advocacy group demanded tech companies and social media platforms take steps for safeguarding users’ privacy and data. GLAAD stands for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. “This also includes ceasing the practice of targeted surveillance advertising. In which companies use powerful algorithms to recommend content to users to maximize profit,” stated GLAAD.
However, TikTok’s method of handling user data increases the fear of its ties to China’s communist party. It can also make American users more vulnerable to espionage, rising US lawmakers’ concerns about the platform. Despite the company denying its involvement in providing data to the Chinese government, the call to ban TikTok is on the rise.