After a TikTok ban in the US, phones and iPads with TikTok preinstalled are being sold, and some people are buying them. Experts warn this could lead to security issues.
TikTok is indeed banned in the United States. A law banning the app took effect on January 19, causing it to briefly go offline in the US. However, President Donald Trump issued an executive order giving TikTok a 75-day extension.
Trump's order doesn't lift the ban. Instead, it instructs the US attorney general not to enforce the law for now. As a result, some key organizations are still cautious, including app stores that allow users to download it. The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act makes it illegal for app stores and internet hosting services to support the distribution, maintenance, or updates of TikTok.
So far, Apple and Google are following this rule. In other words, you can still use TikTok if it's already on your device. If not, you're out of luck.
This situation has led some people to see an opportunity. Across the US, individuals on online marketplaces like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Etsy are listing used phones with the TikTok app preinstalled, often at extremely high prices. In some cases, they're asking for amounts similar to what you'd pay for a new car. You can buy one if you have the money, but the real question is how much you're willing to risk your digital security.
Some see a chance to profit. One eBay seller, who spoke to the BBC anonymously, is offering a Samsung Galaxy Note9. It's an older model that would typically sell for around $250 (about £200). However, with TikTok installed, the seller is asking for $50,000 (£40,145). The price is negotiable, though. "The lowest I'll go is $15,000," the seller says. So far, there haven't been any bids.
It's a scammer's dream to sell someone a phone they will use all day without wiping it first. These devices could have anything loaded on them. On TikTok, some American users have posted videos encouraging others to sell old devices with the app installed, promising big payouts. A Facebook Marketplace seller in New York says the videos inspired him. "I don't know if the app is really getting banned, but I'm going to try to make something out of it," the seller says. His very old iPhone is also priced at $50,000. "I did it to see if I get lucky," he adds.
A simple search on an online marketplace shows countless iPhones, iPads, and Android devices with TikTok for sale at similar prices. It seems unlikely anyone will pay five figures, but many have sold for more reasonable amounts already, according to a search of completed items on eBay. However, in most cases, phones with TikTok installed aren't selling for more than their usual price, ranging from a few hundred to just over $1,000, depending on the model. It's also important to remember that completed listings shouldn't always be taken at face value, but they can give you an idea of where the market stands.
The listings might be amusing, but there are real consequences, according to Ryan McGrady, a computer scientist at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
"You might think 'this is just an app,' but people get attached to online services and act out of desperation when they're suddenly taken away," McGrady says. And where there's desperation, criminals are sure to take advantage. "Just remember the lesson of Flappy Bird," he adds.
Desperate TikTok users will likely find online instructions for VPNs, jailbreaking techniques, and other methods to bring back the app. It's easy to lead unsuspecting users into a digital trap. Flappy Bird was a mobile game where players controlled a bird trying to fly between green pipes without hitting them. In 2013, Flappy Bird became so popular that its developer, Dong Nguyen, was reportedly making $50,000 a day until he suddenly removed the game from the app store. At the time, Nguyen said he couldn't handle the stress of managing an "addictive product."
Almost immediately, scammers took advantage. Phones with Flappy Bird installed flooded the market, along with copycat apps claiming to restore the lost game. The problem was that many of these came with viruses and malware. Some apps took control of the phone's text messages and started sending texts to premium numbers, leading to high charges on people's phone bills.
"It's a scammer's dream to sell someone a phone that you know they'll use all day without wiping it first. There could be anything loaded on these devices," McGrady says. "If people were willing to take risks for Flappy Bird, you can bet they'll take similar shortcuts to reconnect with others on TikTok."