It Seemed Like a Popular Chat App. It’s Secretly a Spy Tool.

[Paul.R]

Content source

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/22/us/politics/totok-app-uae.html?searchResultPosition=1

ToTok, an Emirati messaging app that has been downloaded to millions of phones, is the latest escalation of a digital arms race.
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But the service, ToTok, is actually a spying tool, according to American officials familiar with a classified intelligence assessment and a New York Times investigation into the app and its developers. It is used by the government of the United Arab Emirates to try to track every conversation, movement, relationship, appointment, sound and image of those who install it on their phones.

 

[upnorth]

Spoiler

Even saw this on Swedish news channels.

ToTok, very similar name to one of the most popular apps ever TikTok. Glad to see that Google removed this crap and hopefully banned the developer/company for ever.

 

[Cortex]

Thanks - I use WhatsApp mainly because other family members do, recently it's now adorned with By Facebook - Knowing their integration plans I often wonder how long it will remain on my phone - As a friend of mine often said - 'No such thing as a free lunch'

 

[TairikuOkami]

And that is surprising, it is made in UAE, just like Zone Alarm made in Israel. Laws of the country of origin matters. Then again it depends, whether it matters to you, like what are yours country relations to that country. It is unlikely, that CIA and FSB would share info, because they would have to reveal, how they have obtained it.

But to be fair, their TOS clearly says, that they can use any of your content, for whatever purpose they want and they do not guarantee anything.

no warranty is given that any information provided by us is accurate, complete, or useful, that the Services will be operational, free from errors, secure, safe

 

[show-Zi]

The chat application called “LINE” has become widespread in Japan and Asia. Recently, this app has also added a service that can send money. Do you think it has become more convenient, or should you consider it becoming dangerous?

 

[ForgottenSeer 823865]

@show-Zi I use Line especially for its *nearby* feature, very effective to date hotties near my area loooool.
I would never entrust much money to such apps, maximum a hundred bucks and use it as a small wallet like PayPal or Wechat.

 

[show-Zi]

@show-Zi I use Line especially for its *nearby* feature, very effective to date hotties near my area loooool.
I would never entrust much money to such apps, maximum a hundred bucks and use it as a small wallet like PayPal or Wechat.

I also use LINE. In Japan, LINE is becoming the premise of using LINE, not only for contacting with friends but also for small business tasks.

Thankful things can be useful. However, there are many teenagers in the main users. I felt that it would be dangerous to give money transfer functions to those who have immature value for money.

 

[DDE_Server]

I also use LINE. In Japan, LINE is becoming the premise of using LINE, not only for contacting with friends but also for small business tasks.

Thankful things can be useful. However, there are many teenagers in the main users. I felt that it would be dangerous to give money transfer functions to those who have immature value for money.

i found it in Anime episode really seems became popular in japan
i just finished Koe No Katachi & Kimi no Suizou wo Tabetai they both break my heart

 

[upnorth]

ToTok Returned to Google Play Despite ‘Spy Tool’ Claims

The communications app faces continued backlash after a New York Times report said it was used as a government spying tool.

threatpost.com

 

[show-Zi]

ToTok Returned to Google Play Despite ‘Spy Tool’ Claims

The communications app faces continued backlash after a New York Times report said it was used as a government spying tool.

threatpost.com

Recently, I heard that this software is controlled by the Chinese government for user passwords.

 

[ForgottenSeer 823865]

I wonder why people are so concerned about those apps, as if they will disclosed their real ID and sensitive datas in them...?
Wait, what? They do? Really? /face-palm...

 

[upnorth]

Recently, I heard that this software is controlled by the Chinese government for user passwords.

Are you 100% sure your not thinking about the Chinese app, TikTok? ToTok is from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

 

[Oten]

I don't have social media account, even if i have, its a fake one. I only use Whatsapp, if it were not because of my family and friends, I won't use it either. I'm anti social media, I prefer the real one, in real life.

 

[show-Zi]

Are you 100% sure your not thinking about the Chinese app, TikTok? ToTok is from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Sorry, I mistaken for Tik Tok.

I wonder why people are so concerned about those apps, as if they will disclosed their real ID and sensitive datas in them...?
Wait, what? They do? Really? /face-palm...

Probably because of the anxiety that is similar to being in a toilet where the key can be operated from the outside.

 

[Chuck57]

Thanks - I use WhatsApp mainly because other family members do, recently it's now adorned with By Facebook - Knowing their integration plans I often wonder how long it will remain on my phone - As a friend of mine often said - 'No such thing as a free lunch'

Speaking from experience, if you use Facebook's chat expecting privacy, you will be disappointed. Other friends and I have had specific messages or pictures removed from chat as being offensive. They're all political, and we are all right wing and conservative. My question, offensive to whom? We're all of like minds. We're in chat. No one else can read our chats. We've all since quit using FB's messenger and gone strictly to texting. I don't know how private it is, but at least Zuckerberg's stooges aren't monitoring us.

 

[[correlate]]

Researchers Demonstrate How to Hack Any TikTok Account by Sending SMS

TikTok, the 3rd most downloaded app in 2019, is under intense scrutiny over users' privacy, censoring politically controversial content and on national-security grounds — but it's not over yet, as the security of billions of TikTok users would be now under question.

Researchers Demonstrate How to Hack Any TikTok Account by Sending SMS

Researchers disclose TikTok account hacking techniques that could have allowed attackers to add or delete videos to any account.

thehackernews.com

 

[upnorth]

As of Friday afternoon, ToTok no longer appears on the Play Store when searching — though there are a number of clones — or visiting the listing directly. Citing a classified intelligence assessment by American officials, the Times last year investigated the close ties between ToTok’s developers and the UAE’s intelligence agency. One digital security expert in the Middle East, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss powerful hacking tools, said that senior Emirati officials told him that ToTok was indeed an app developed to track its users in the Emirates and beyond.

Messaging app ToTok, allegedly used for mass spying, removed from Google Play again

Last year, the New York Times reported how a chat app gaining traction worldwide was actually being used as a spying tool. Google Play removes ToTok...

9to5google.com

 

[ForgottenSeer 85911]

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