TikTok Faces Criticism for Data Protection and Viral Face Filter
The short video service TikTok, owned by Chinese group ByteDance, is currently under fire for data protection concerns. In addition, the face filter “Bold Glamour” has gone viral, causing controversy among users. This weekly column presents numbers, curves, and diagrams from the world of technology and science.
Younger and Older Generations Losing Interest in Social Media Platforms
According to a survey by Deloitte, primarily the younger and older generations are turning away from social media. Around 18 percent of respondents between 18 to 24 years old said they had left at least one platform, with four percent saying goodbye to all networks. The proportion of social media hermits decreases with age, with those age 45-64 being the most loyal to Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms. However, the proportion of users who turned their backs on all platforms was highest among the 65 to 75 year olds at eleven percent.
Reasons for Abandoning Social Media
There are many reasons why individuals abandon social media, with the content of the apps being criticized as too boring (32 percent). Usage time was also a factor, with 22 percent realizing they were investing too much time in using social media. False reports on the internet were believed to be a problem by 21 percent of respondents, with conspiracy myths also making use of platforms, which was the reason for a further 14 percent who turned away from social media. Concerns about data security (20 percent) and privacy (30 percent) were other frequently mentioned reasons.
Germans Believe Personal Data is Largely Secure on the Internet
Despite the data security concerns that arise when using social media platforms such as TikTok, the majority of Germans believe that their personal data is largely secure on the internet. The result of a survey by the association Deutschlandsicher im Netz as part of the Security Index 2022, shows that 6.5 percent of respondents consider their personal data on the internet to be very secure, with around a quarter considering it to be safe. However, this confidence is unfounded, as the number of cybercrime incidents in Germany is increasing and various online companies are often affected by data leaks.
