Is TikTok Safe? I Read the Privacy Policy So You Don't Have To. #TikTok #AppPrivacy #IsThisAppSafe
The short version: Mading Thok's deep dive into TikTok's privacy policy is a reminder that biometric and location harvesting isn't just a Flock problem — it's everywhere.
Our Take
Credit where it's due: Mading Thok did the unglamorous work of actually reading a privacy policy most of us click past in three seconds. Faceprints, voiceprints, location pulled even when the app is closed, clipboard snooping — it's the kind of laundry list that should make anyone pause before tapping "accept." We cover license plate readers, not social apps, but the underlying story is the same one we tell every day: companies and platforms are quietly normalizing biometric collection and location tracking as the cost of doing business, whether that business is short-form video or "public safety."
That's exactly why Flock Safety's network of ALPR cameras deserves the same scrutiny Thok gives TikTok. Flock isn't asking you to download an app or agree to terms of service — it's capturing your plate, your location, and often a photo of your vehicle and driver as you drive past, with no opt-out, no consent screen, and often no public vote in your town. At least with an app you can delete it. You can't delete a camera bolted to a pole on your street.
If a privacy policy buried in an app's fine print is alarming, a surveillance camera network silently logging your movements around your own neighborhood should be more alarming still. Check our map to see what's already watching your streets, and head to take-action if you want to push back.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Mading Thok, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.