We’ve all been there.
You sit down after a long day, open up TikTok, and begin browsing. What was determined to be only 5 minutes has now sunken into an hour, and your routine has been pushed aside for another night by the mindless scroll.
But since September 2023, there’s been an added layer to the brainwashing. No longer does your scrolling equate to lost time. Now you can shop, too.
With just a click of a button, you have the entire contents of basically TEMU at your fingertips.
Even better, TikTok Shop allows you to save all of your banking and shipping information, so you don’t even have to think before you purchase. Curating a shopping FYP catered toward your liking, TikTok does all the thinking for you. And that’s exactly what Kristen advises against.
“This isn’t demure or cutesy at all,” Kristen captions her video.
What happened
Posted on Aug. 23, content creator Kristen (@kristen_temprine) advises users against making online shopping mistakes with her brief, 5-second PSA. As the “Titanic Flute Fail,” music trickles in from the background, the influencer has already gained over 1.5 million views and 33,500 likes as she simply looks around and sips her coffee.
“PSA: Don’t use your debit card for Apple Pay and don’t use it in the TikTok shop or you might get your entire paycheck and half your savings wiped out in seconds, sending you in a panic and praying that the bank actually gets the money back to your account.”
When introducing TikTok Shop to U.S. consumers mid 2023, the platform prided itself on its secure checkout. With third-party payment interfaces used to facilitate transactions, TikTok states that all U.S. user data “is stored in the US and managed by the USDS.”
The USDS, or TikTok U.S. Data Security, manages all business functions within the platform that require access to U.S. user data by the U.S. government as needing additional protection. This system was put in place by the company to “safeguard” the systems on the application.
TikTok’s information page is clear about this.
“USDS will operate all parts of the TikTok business responsible for protected U.S. user data, and also oversee the application’s content delivery systems in the United States.”
And yet, consumers of the up-and-coming store are still turning to TikTok to share their grievances about hacked data within it. In perfect alliance with Kristen’s service announcement.
@kristen_temprine This isn’t demure or cutesy at all
♬ Titanic flute fail – kate dwyer
Is the TikTok Shop safe?
“Finally decided to order something off TikTok shop and my card information got stolen,” one creator (@cipchunks) shared.
So, while Kristen didn’t share an access of proof as to why a shopper should be wearily on the platform, she may be on to something. And commenters on her page not only agreed, but added to the advice.
“No one should ever really use their debit card. Use a credit card then pay it off each month. It’s very risky to use your debit card.” One commenter said, receiving over 2,785 likes.
When shopping with a credit card, if a fraudulent charge occurs, it tends to be much easier to dispute the charge rather than try and receive the money back all together via a debit account. Kristen notes this in a later video.
What about Apple Pay?
And this concept ties into the other part of her original PSA, Apple Pay.
Apple Pay is a mobile payment service. The service allows Apple users to turn their phone into a “digital wallet,” making payments in person, in iOS, or online entirely using their iPhone.
Kristen seemingly worries that when a debit card links to Apple Pay or a mobile device, it makes it more susceptible to fraudulent charges. Just like with TikTok Shop, she believes that if a credit card links instead, unlawful charges will be much easier to dispute, putting the consumer less at risk.
However, unlike her approach to TikTok Shop, commenters were in disagreement with the statement.
“Apple Pay generates a different credit card number when you pay, so I thought it was safer,” one commenter said, receiving over 2,530 likes, summarizing the majority of contradictory beliefs.
And this stands true.
“Apple decrypts the data, determines your card’s payment network, and re-encrypts the data with a key that only your payment network (or any providers authorized by your card issuer for provisioning and token services) can unlock,” according to the Apple Pay Privacy and Safety informational page.
Regardless of how you go about your next shopping experience, if that be virtual or in-person, it’s important to reevaluate your way of purchasing. As Kristen advises, make sure your information is safe, and steer clear of associating your debit card with online platforms.
The Daily Dot reached out to Kristen (@kristen_temprine) via TikTok DM as well and Apple Inc. and TikTok via their public relations email about this.
Editor’s note: This headline has been updated for clarity and context.
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