In episode 69 of the Acceleration Economy Minute, Kieron Allen discusses Lookout, which is on our Top 10 Shortlist of Cybersecurity Enablers, and recent public statements from the company regarding TikTok.
Highlights
00:48 — In a few short years, TikTok has risen to become one of the most popular social media platforms; as innocent as sharing short videos may appear, the US government has expressed concerns over data protection issues based on the platform’s connection to the Chinese state.
01:06 — Lookout, and specifically federal government exec Frank Johnson, released a statement with strong insights into TikTok and its data collection practices.
01:26 — Johnson explained the data that TikTok collects from a user, which includes IP address, mobile carrier, time zone settings, approximate location based on SIM card, and keystroke patterns, which can lead to credential theft.
01:51 — Johnson also notes that TikTok is just the tip of the iceberg: more than 9 million apps identified in the Lookout data corpus communicate with domains and servers in China.
02:05 — Lookout’s solution: government and private sector increase collaboration, particularly in terms of promoting awareness on how mobile app permissions can put data at risk.
02:20 — Lookout secures devices used by the US House and Senate as well as government agencies and major corporations. It’s helping to implement technology and data strategies needed to enforce policies and enable governments and corporations to understand exposure risk.
