FTC Names 9 Social Media Platforms Of Vast Surveillance, While TikTok Defends Its Potential Ban

In a world where social media platforms and other digital applications dominate daily interactions, some governments and regulatory agencies are questioning the way such companies are operating, citing privacy concerns.

This includes the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which passed an order asking major social media platforms and video streaming companies to provide information on how they collect, track and use personal and demographic data of users.

Now, the FTC has released a report highlighting how such companies have engaged in vast surveillance practices, raising alarms about the scale of data collection, while also calling for recommendations to address the risks related to such mass surveillance.

So, what did the FTC find in its report? Let’s explore!

What Did FTC Say About Social Media Platforms?

Recently, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) released a report that highlighted how social media platforms and video streaming companies have engaged in vast surveillance practices, raising alarms about the scale of data collection.
The report was announced through a news release published on its website.
The platforms named include Amazon’s Twitch, Meta / Facebook, YouTube, X, Snap, ByteDance’s TikTok, Discord, Reddit, and WhatsApp.
The report sheds light on how these companies collect vast amounts of user data, including sensitive personal information.
The FTC’s report examines how these companies collected and used data, which finds that they engaged in vast surveillance of consumers to earn from their personal information.
It also finds they failed to protect users online, especially children and teens.
As such, surveillance practices were found to be embedded deep within these platforms, tracking an unprecedented amount of users’ behaviors across applications and devices.
In response to these findings, the FTC is pushing for stronger data privacy regulations to protect consumers and may involve stricter consent requirements and limitations on the types of data companies can collect.
Furthermore, the report also encourages greater accountability from tech companies, which have operated with minimal oversight previously.

What Did FTC Executives Say?

Through the report, Lina M. Khan, FTC’s Chair, said, “The report lays out how social media and video streaming companies harvest an enormous amount of Americans’ personal data and monetize it to the tune of billions of dollars a year.”
“While lucrative for the companies, these surveillance practices can endanger people’s privacy, threaten their freedoms, and expose them to a host of harms, from identity theft to stalking. Several firms’ failure to adequately protect kids and teens online is especially troubling.”
“The Report’s findings are timely, particularly as state and federal policymakers consider legislation to protect people from abusive data practices.”

Source

ByteDance’s TikTok has been at odds with the US government for a long time now.

What Did TikTok Say In Defense Of Its Potential Ban?

This stems from concerns that the platform could pose a danger to the country as updates to its source code occur in China.
Essentially, the US government believes that data collected by TikTok in the US could enable the Chinese government to spy on United States citizens as well as influence them, while also leaving the country’s government agencies vulnerable.
As such, there remains the possibility of a potential ban in the country for TikTok, one that TikTok defends.
Another option proposed by the company’s opposers is for the company to break away from its parent company, ByteDance.
However, TikTok is fighting the potential ban to keep it operating unchanged, reaching an appeals court for which a ruling is expected in December.
As per the social media giant, banning its platform could cause staggering risks to the First Amendment rights of over 170 million Americans and threaten their freedom of speech.
The company also said that the same treatment should be shown to e-commerce companies such as Temu and Shein.
Furthermore, the company argued that there was no evidence of the Chinese Communist Party influencing Americans.

Do you think the FTC is correct in its crusade to capture companies that are engaging in unethical data collection and privacy breaches? Do you think TikTok has a point in highlighting other social media platforms for similar breaches?

Let us know in the comments below!

First published on Fri, Sep 20, 2024

Enjoyed what you read? Great news – there’s a lot more to explore!

Dive into our content repository of the latest tech news, a diverse range of articles spanning introductory guides, product reviews, trends and more, along with engaging interviews, up-to-date AI blogs and hilarious tech memes!

Also explore our collection of branded insights via informative white papers, enlightening case studies, in-depth reports, educational videos and exciting events and webinars from leading global brands.

Head to the TechDogs homepage to Know Your World of technology today!

Disclaimer - Reference to any specific product, software or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by TechDogs nor should any data or content published be relied upon. The views expressed by TechDogs' members and guests are their own and their appearance on our site does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by TechDogs' Authors are those of the Authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of TechDogs or any of its officials. While we aim to provide valuable and helpful information, some content on TechDogs' site may not have been thoroughly reviewed for every detail or aspect. We encourage users to verify any information independently where necessary.

Tags:

Social Media Surveillance TikTok Amazon Twitch Meta Facebook YouTube X Snap ByteDance TikTok Discord Reddit WhatsApp Privacy Data Collection Breach Unethical

Join The Discussion

Social Media