Google And Apple Remove Alleged UAE Spy App ToTok

ToTok, a popular chat app, has been accused of being a spying tool for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). ToTok is cleverly disguised as a secure app that lets users chat with their friends and family. Both Google and Apple have taken down ToTok from their app stores.

According to The New York Times report on Sunday, the ToTok app can track activities of its users and share it with the UAE government. The app has been downloaded by millions of users, especially in the Emirates where other popular apps such as Skype and WhatsApp can only offer limited features.

According to cached pages of the app’s listing on Google’s Play Store, ToTok had been downloaded more than 5 million times on Android devices alone. On Apple’s App Store, the app was listed in the 50th position in the social networking category on the App Store.
While both Google and Apple have taken down ToTok from their respective app stores, the app will continue to function on users’ devices until they delete it.

ToTok’s owner Breej Holding is another front for a Abu-Dhabi-based hacking firm called DarkMatter that is run by UAE intelligence officials and former employees of the NSA and Israeli military intelligence, the New York Times report said.

According to the NYT report, the app is being allegedly used by the UAE government to track users’ conversations, images, sound, and other sensitive personal information.

While ToTok’s app listing pages claim that the app offers a fast and secure messaging platform, the app doesn’t mention it is end-to-end encrypted.

It’s worth mentioning here that ToTok is not to be confused with the popular video-sharing app called TikTok.

BBC