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TikTok used Android loophole to collect MAC addresses without user consent

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A WSJ report has found that TikTok collected the MAC addresses of all Android devices up until November last year and passed it to ByteDance servers in China. This behavior is banned by Google.
TikTok has come under scrutiny in recent weeks due to security issues for its allegedly close ties with the Chinese government and for stealing user data and passing it on to China. However, there was no concrete proof of any wrongdoing on TikTok’s part so far. A Wall Street Journal analysis has discovered that TikTok violated Google Play’s guidelines in the past and collected the MAC addresses of Android devices to track users online. The company used an exploit in Android OS to collect and track the MAC addresses of Android devices. The MAC address is a 12-digit „address“ of a mobile device that connects to the internet.

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