1. A VPN might well bypass Texas app, firewall, and computer policy, but it's not clear what Texas regulations, laws, or directives this might break. 2. University IT departments may have approved workarounds for accessing TikTok for research. It's worth contacting them. 3. it seems likely that those ordering a TikTok ban didn't realize that some might be conducting research on the platform. 4. In our company when we must access TikTok and other less trusted online apps and services, we use virtual machines, such as those usable from Oracle VirtualBox. Related: There are ways to emulate mobile devices on PCs and Macs. 5. TikTok is a significant privacy and security risk. We never access it on company cell phones. There have been claims in the technical and security press that TikTok sifts through data on phones, and can activate phone cameras and microphones in ways not known to the user. 6. We keep client data and any project-related student data confined to separate networks and separate computers. A similar sort of system isolation might be helpful for academics conducting research of untrusted apps such as TikTok. 7. I am not a lawyer. Please consider checking with technical advisors and legal council before doing any of these things. Fred -- Fred Fuchs - Founder, CEO, & Producer FireSabre Consulting LLC Content Services for Virtual Worlds --- On 1/13/2023 11:30 AM, Arditi, David M via Air-L wrote:
Hi All,
I just realized that I can no longer access TikTok from work computers. This is in compliance with a policy about TikTok in Texas. Since the American federal government and other states are banning it as well, I'm wondering if anyone has figured out an effective workaround. This is a big barrier to conducting academic research on TikTok, social media, or just the cultural world. Any suggestions would be useful.
Thank you, David
Dr. David Arditi Associate Professor of Sociology Director of the Center for Theory University of Texas at Arlington
_______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/