Jack Givens, Utica University’s associate professor of cybersecurity, is not surprised by state and federal concerns over the TikTok app. He said concerns have publicly existed since around 2019.

“States and the federal government are beginning to take concrete measures to ban or restrict TikTok now, in part, because of public pressure, but also because of efforts that President Xi has taken in China to consolidate power," Givens said. "Those data points come out of intelligence collection and analysis, but they're really bringing to bear a lot of pressure on TikTok as a corporate entity to take security seriously.”

Givens said TikTok can get a lot of personal data about its users.

“They collect location data. They collect phone model information. They collect information about your typing cadence, that is to say how fast or how slow you type on your actual phone. They collect information on your phone, make and model," said Givens.

TikTok’s origins were in China and their leadership is still there. Givens said this means it’s possible that people in China could gather intelligence through the app, and he said the app, including this information, could be subject to the Chinese government.

“Despite their public promises to ensure user privacy and to protect data, at the end of the day, they have to do what the Chinese government wants. So if the Chinese government says to TikTok, ‘You have to spy,’ they will do it. If the Chinese government says, ‘You have to push propaganda,’ they will do it," he said.

The concerns are ramping up at a time when TikTok has already become embedded in many people’s social media lives. It’s also used as a promotional tool. Take Visit Syracuse, for example.

“We hear people out and about saying that they have fun watching our videos on Instagram, on Facebook and on TikTok. And I think it's helpful, especially with our weekend spotlight. We spotlight some events just to give people an added resource," said Lindsay Raychel, media and content strategist for Visit Syracuse.

She said TikTok allows the organization to reach a wider audience in its efforts to promote the area.

“Not everyone is on Instagram or Facebook or reading email, and not everyone's on TikTok, either. So that's why we're on all these social platforms, to help reach as many people as we can," Raychel said.

While there may be positive aspects of TikTok, Givens said it would be a good idea to keep the security concerns in mind. He says individuals should run an annual credit report on themselves.

“That'll give them a heads up about whether or not there's been any anomalous credit activity linked to their names specifically. A second thing that they can do is watch their mail, their snail mail, because if you begin to receive mailings from companies or organizations with which you have had no prior contact, that suggests at least that your information may have been compromised," said Givens said.

He recommends adjusting the settings on any application to limit what information you’re sharing.