The New York Times investigation consulted American officials with knowledge of classified intelligence assessment and reveals that the app, purported to be an easy and secure video and text messaging service, is tracking every aspect of users who have installed the app on their phone. Since the NYT piece, Apple and Google have both removed the app from their app stores. The app remains functional for users who have already downloaded it.
ToTok was only introduced months ago, but had already been downloaded millions of times throughout the world, although the majority of its users are in the UAE. According to the NYT, last week alone the app became one of the most downloaded social media apps in the US. According to the investigation, the app can monitor conversations, movements, relationships, appointments, and sounds of users.
The NYT demonstrated that Breej Holding, the business behind ToTok, is a front affiliated with the Abu Dhabi-based cyberintelligence and hacking firm DarkMatter. Former Israeli military operatives are amongst those employed by DarkMatter. Those interviewed by the paper revealed that the app tracks users’ locations by offering weather forecasts and searches for new contacts whenever users open the app, under the guise of ‘connecting friends’. The app also has access to microphones, cameras, calendars, and more.
Recently, the Emirati government had blocked specific functions of apps like WhatsApp and Skype, in turn increasing the appeal of ToTok. The app does not have end-to-end encryption unlike WhatsApp and similar messaging apps.
The allegations come at a time in which concerns about governments using app to collect information are at a height. TikTok, a 15-second video app following in the footsteps of Vine, has also been accused of illegally harvesting data and sending it to the Chinese government.
