Photo: Help Desk Geek
You may have been spied on, if you use the app, ToTok. You read that right - ToTok, not TikTok.
The new messaging platform was one of the most downloaded apps last week but has since been quickly removed from the Google Play Store and Apple's App Store. This came about when American officials announced that ToTok was more than it seemed - the innocent looking platform is actually spyware backed by the United Arab Emirates government.
This means that all your plans, your details, and whatever you have been sending via the app could have been compromised.
Researchers said that the app’s business model is a facade designed to document personal information about its users, including conversations, movements, relationships, appointments, sounds, and photos.
Millions of unsuspecting users from North America, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Africa have downloaded the app.
Photo: Gulf News
According to computer experts, ToTok’s app developer, Breej Holding, is believed to be closely linked to DarkMatter, a cyber intelligence and hacking agency based in Abu Dhabi. To top it all off, DarkMatter is currently under investigation by the FBI.
Despite being removed from both application stores, ToTok itself is still up and running, which means that those who already have the app on their phones will still be able to use it.
The creators of ToTok have since released a statement addressing the allegations (but made no effort to disprove the claims). They also said the app is temporarily unavailable for download in the app stores due to a technical issue...eh?
Do you use the app?
By: Celestine Foo
