Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

StrangelyEroticSoda t1_ja9om74 wrote

Why would they allow outside apps in the first place?

104

BroBogan t1_ja9qckt wrote

Have you ever been issued a work phone?

For many people it is their only phone. It's a perk and usually just means you can use it like a personal phone but you can also access work email.

48

illiter-it t1_ja9z0xr wrote

I'd imagine government phones are an exception right? I feel weird even taking my work laptop home to work.

I guess maybe if you have a dual sim setup.

39

RusselNoahPeters t1_jaba1x8 wrote

You’re right, everyone who I know who is issued one, me included, has their own personal phone. Particularly due to how tight the rules are, for obvious reasons.

8

SunSaw t1_jab60v1 wrote

Usually government issued dual SIM type phones have the second SIM slot disabled.

5

Buchaven t1_jacibja wrote

That’s my situation , and boy was that a deal with the devil. LPT: If you’re issued a company phone, if at all possible, KEEP YOUR OWN PERSONAL PHONE! Because my work phone is my personal phone, I don’t really ever have the option to turn work off. It sucks.

7

ActualMis t1_jac8v66 wrote

I understand why individual people want to install outside apps. I don't understand why the government chooses to allow such an obvious security risk.

1

dublea t1_jadmj51 wrote

No where have I worked was an employee allowed to use it for personal thing.

You couldn't even install an app or sign into you Apple/Google accounts due to the MDM.

If you rely on your work for as your personal one, and think you still have personal privacy, you're sorely mistaken.

1

Meowdl21 t1_jacrw0l wrote

Now I’ve heard of treating a company car as a “perk” and using it as your own. But relying on a company for your phone, that’s just being a free loader.

0

Buchaven t1_jade38l wrote

They way it was laid out to me by my employer was as just such a perk. Is it a good perk? No. But that’s how they choose to look at it. Saves me about a hundred bucks every month, so it could be looked at as a tax free benefit of $1000/year or so. If one wanted to take such a point of view. Also fair to point out, I live in Canada, the land of nearly criminal mobile data rates, so that’s the major motivator for me. “Unlimited” free data.

1

Ad_bonum_forum t1_jacqx5p wrote

Our office has a PR type of person. And while my employer doesn’t have a tick tock presence currently. That one day could change, now they’ve taken the stance no to tick tock.

1

[deleted] t1_ja9plqt wrote

[removed]

−14

Javelin-x t1_ja9uyrc wrote

Western companies subject to western laws.. missed that part

17

[deleted] t1_ja9zq2o wrote

[removed]

−14

Javelin-x t1_jaa7yhd wrote

Western companies.. western laws. Western lawyers. This is way older than echelon too. Its been going on almost as long as there's been telephones

14

PvP_SHEEP t1_jaavlyw wrote

My work recently strongly recommended deleting the app even from our personal phones. Definitely unnerving

43

baked_tea t1_jadsfo6 wrote

It's Chinese spyware. Anyways there is no reason to install it when you can see tiktok reposts on reddit

14

heaviestmatter- t1_jaa1agc wrote

Everyones banning TikTok right now wow, not that it is a bad thing haha

33

EvangelineOfSky OP t1_jaa1qk7 wrote

US and Canada banning it for federal government on the same day, and Australia has banned it for several federal departments

im thinking the five eyes probably has some intel.. guess we wait and see what the brits and kiwis do

29

heaviestmatter- t1_jaa3zf4 wrote

Also the European Commission or some stuff like that, if I‘m not mistaken.

6

elglas t1_jacveol wrote

Even if they don't have specific intel, separation of all 3rd party apps and official government communication should be a no brainer.

App exploits exist. Nothing is perfectly sandboxed. In app browsers overwrite generic JavaScript functions.

We are entirely too trusting with our data, and our metadata, and people will choose cute image filters over security every damn time left to their own devices.

2

colossalboom t1_ja9svl1 wrote

Now ban all the other social media apps, ffs.

32

Fit-Mousse-7747 t1_jaas2st wrote

Even Reddit?

9

streeker22 t1_jabe64l wrote

if you banned all social media except reddit then Reddit would be stuck with all the people who make every other app so terrible. Although maybe that wouldn't be so bad, if EVERYONE is on one platform then it's pretty difficult for one group to take control

7

elglas t1_jacw3hb wrote

Try sorting a subreddit with loose moderation by new. The current filters work pretty well, but reddit is a cesspool compared to the early days of newsgroups

0

ActualMis t1_jac8ypz wrote

On government phones? 100% yes. Only officially approved software should be installed.

6

BannedRemovedDeleted t1_jaah02n wrote

You know what someone should do? Create an American version of TikTok and call it TokTik. I mean China is the king of copyrighting. So make it identical but without the obvious spyware.

18

windsostrange t1_jaairtr wrote

Do you think apps developed by American corporations don't have spyware?

16

chinaPresidentPooh t1_jabnr5y wrote

Well you see, we can't just let China get the data from the source. They gotta buy it from a good American company! /s

3

Meowdl21 t1_jacsr2f wrote

It’s their intentions that’s concerning. Everyone is aware apps are collecting info. But they’re just trying to make an extra dollar. China is keen or world domination and definitely want to acquire information for nefarious reasons.

0

windsostrange t1_jad2auv wrote

You're distinguishing between corporate and national actors in a way that I don't understand. The gulf between "making the extra dollar" and "making the whole world" is not as great as you might think it is, especially in this particular stage of capitalism and regulatory capture.

1

Meowdl21 t1_jad3sm2 wrote

It’s a gulf between making a dollar and disappearing or controlling people who don’t agree with you. American apps are not setting up operations like this but the CCP, owner of TikTok is. It’s very clear they want targeted information to commit harm. Even their own social media apps are setup to control what the user sees and think. There is a huge gulf between using my information to show me targeted ads and using my information to harass me for saying something bad about Xi Jinping

0

Mccobsta t1_jaby3xz wrote

Makes sense any gov issued device should be locked down no matter what department or security level

5

Johnson_N_B t1_jac79m9 wrote

Western countries need to ban TikTok outright, not just for use on government-issued devices.

5

Equivalent-Basket-31 t1_jacnobz wrote

The cynical side of me thinks Meta has been lobbying hard for this.

2

Muteki123 t1_jabxc4k wrote

Way too late, but better than never

1

tswaves t1_jacmgtg wrote

Idk how anyone would be shocked by this. I have never download it or ever plan to. Anyone who has tbh is pretty naive. It's literally a Chinese spy app.

0

DeNoodle t1_jaaa736 wrote

They're really sorry about it, though.

−3

Rickyspanish33 t1_jaapeom wrote

If every government is banning it then I'm clearly missing something cool and need to get the app.

−13