Don’t Let TikTok Touch Your Business 

Hot take: don’t use TikTok for your business. Here’s why.

We know now that online videos make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic (Cisco). That statistic has grown 15x since 2017. Platforms like Instagram, which began as a static photo platform, have morphed into a platform that largely serves video. Accounts not using video are not getting the same traction as they used to.

Enter TikTok. A fully video platform, TikTok is emerging as one of the most popular platforms for social media engagement. We know this is true for individuals and social media influencers, but is TikTok right for your business? 

First, for those new here, what exactly is TikTok? You’ve probably heard of it, but if you haven’t personally used it, here’s the scoop. TikTok began in 2016 and has grown to serve 1 billion users worldwide. Composed of brief, entertaining, fast-paced content, TikTok serves the shortening attention spans of today’s society, specifically today’s youth. A purely video-based platform, many brands and small creators are turning to TikTok for their content.

Let’s discuss why TikTok is not the right platform for your business.

1. It’s not secure. TikTok poses a significant security risk to businesses due to the nature and method of data collection. In fact, the commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission asked the CEOs of Google and Apple to remove TikTok from their app stores completely. He believes it’s that dangerous.
2. It has crazy amounts of data collection. TikTok practices excessive data collection. What does this mean? TikTok collects all kinds of data, including search and browsing histories, keystroke patterns, and biometric identifiers (think face ID). 
3. Use of data collected is unclear. TikTok does not share what exactly they use this collected data for. That, combined with their association with the CCP (Communist Party of China), makes it a bad idea for businesses to join TikTok and risk sharing their data with unknown sources.

Different options serve different purposes, as with any technology solution or social media platform. Our opinion at PK Tech is not to let TikTok touch your business for the above security risks. Carefully consider the privacy and security of your business’s data before diving into a TikTok account for your business.  
PK Tech provides managed IT services to small to medium-sized businesses in the Greater Phoenix Area. We also share bi-weekly topics on our blog. Follow along here.