Following the New York Times report, the app became temporarily unavailable in Google and Apple stores, purportedly due to a 'technical issue'.
A chat app that quickly became popular in the United Arab Emirates for communicating with friends and family is actually a spying tool used by the government to track its users,The government uses ToTok to track conversations, locations, images and other data of those who install the app on their phones,reported, citing US officials familiar with a classified intelligence assessment and the newspaper's own investigation.
The relatively new app, which allows users to make video and voice calls for free, was downloaded millions of times.The Times says ToTok is a few months old and has been downloaded millions of times, with most of its users in the Emirates, a US-allied federation of seven sheikhdoms, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, on the Arabian Peninsula.
As with many apps, ToTok requests location information, purportedly to provide accurate weather forecasts, according to the. It also requests access to a phone's contacts, supposedly to help users connect with friends. The app also has access to microphones, cameras, calendar and other data., Patrick Wardle, said that ToTok "does what it claims to do" as a communications app, which is the "genius" of the app if it is being used as a spy tool.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Genius way actuary used maths to score girlfriend on dating appWhen a Sydney actuary found himself with too much time on his hands, he turned to popular millennial dating app Coffee Meets Bagelfor help.
Read more »
Young Australians are using TikTok to slam Scott Morrison for holidaying in HawaiiAustralian teens are taking to video-driven social media app TikTok to post videos criticising Prime Minister Scott Morrison's handling of the bushfire crisis.
Read more »
Why is Australia such a popular destination for Nepalese students?Salvatore Babones is among the experts who have noticed the Nepalese trend and regard it as a problem - not for the universities, who take payment up front, but for the students and their families.
Read more »
French railway company backtracks on plan to cancel children's train serviceAfter an outcry, striking train drivers from rail company SNCF agree to operate a popular service that allows children to travel unaccompanied by a parent or carer over Christmas.
Read more »
Scott Morrison says government volunteer firefighters will get paid leave boostFederal government volunteer firefighters will get a boost to their paid allowance, the prime minister says.
Read more »
Government accused of trying to 'shut down' inquiry after police watchdog's departureThe government announcement came two weeks after LECC chief commissioner Michael Adams, QC, said there was a 'significant corruption' problem with NSW Police.
Read more »