CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As the debate continues over TikTok, lawmakers throughout the United States are making their security concerns known.
On Monday, North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis and Representative Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) called on members of Congress to stop using TikTok, pushing for the rules to be amended in the House and Senate to completely ban members of Congress from using the social media platform.
Personal information is at the crux of the issue.
While the federal government is concerned about China's government keeping a watchful eye on Americans through TikTok, cybercriminals are using any platform they can to collect personal information.
"TikTok is one social platform that I've been saying for the last three years that eventually it will go away," Andrew Sternke, a cyber expert, explained to WCNC Charlotte.
Privacy concerns were brought to Congress last month, but its a talking point that hasn't gone away, as Senator Tillis called on his fellow members of Congress to ban lawmakers from using the app. But TikTok, among other social media platforms, is just the latest platform that criminals are using to gather sensitive information from unsuspecting people.
"People are using malware to create attacks on TikTok," said Sternke.
Sternke said that [cybercriminals are] using apps to post fake advertising for almost anything, including an artificial intelligence program called ChatGPT.
"Things like ChatGPT, we are only going to see more of this because cyber criminals are able to do 10-times more than what they were able to do before," Sternke added.
He advises people to utilize VPN networks, update security software often and add two-factor authentication on all accounts with sensitive information.
Colin Mayfield: Contact Colin Mayfield at cmayfield@wcnc.com or follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.