iOS 14’s copy and paste detection forces TikTok to remove anti-spam feature

TikTok has rolled out an update that would prevent the app from accessing iOS users’ clipboards, according to The Telegraph. See, iOS 14 comes with a new feature that alerts users if an application is copying and pasting text from their clipboard. A number of people who got early access to the mobile OS discovered that the short-form video app would copy-paste what they’re typing as often as 1 to 3 keystrokes based on the alerts they kept getting.

Okay so TikTok is grabbing the contents of my clipboard every 1-3 keystrokes. iOS 14 is snitching on it with the new paste notification pic.twitter.com/OSXP43t5SZ

— Jeremy Burge (@jeremyburge) June 24, 2020

Hey @tiktok_us, why do you paste from my clipboard every time I type a LETTER in your comment box? Shout out to iOS 14 for shining a light on this HUGE invasion of privacy. inb4 they say it was a “bug” pic.twitter.com/MHv10PmzZS

— Maxel (@MaxelAmador) June 25, 2020

In response to the complaints, TikTok told The Telegraph that the prompts are being “triggered by a feature designed to identify repetitive, spammy behavior.” The spokesperson added: “We have already submitted an updated version of the app to the App Store removing the anti-spam feature to eliminate any potential confusion. TikTok is committed to protecting users’ privacy and being transparent about how our app works.”