TikTok has made a strategic move to bolster security, user-friendliness, and account access by implementing passkeys on iPhones. This enhancement enables users to engage Touch ID or Face ID, eliminating the need for manual password entry. Passkeys, essentially a substitute for passwords, verify user identities using encrypted biometric authentication methods that are inbuilt into your device.
With its initial launch in Asia, Africa, Australia, and South America, TikTok plans to extend its passkey functionality to more territories and different operating systems progressively. This indicates that users in the U.S. and Android device owners can also anticipate this update in the near future.
With this new security feature, all the biometric authentication information is secure on your device and will not be exploited or processed by third-party apps such as TikTok. For iOS users, it offers the flexibility to use passkeys instead of passwords to access their TikTok account via their iCloud account on different devices.
The 'Passkey' feature can be enabled via the app’s settings. After selecting the 'Passkey' option, users are directed through a few stages before they can safeguard a passkey on their iOS system.
By using passkeys, traditional passwords, which are vulnerable to theft, forgetfulness and reuse across various accounts, become redundant thus elevating account security. Apps that incorporate passkeys, TikTok included, do not have access to any biometric data used during iOS device authentication, safeguarding user privacy.
In tandem with today’s news, TikTok announced its induction into the FIDO Alliance. This nonprofit organization aspires to establish uniform standards for authentication at client and protocol levels. Last year, the alliance saw the incorporation of giants like Apple, Google, and Microsoft, alongside the World Wide Web Consortium, all working towards eliminating passwords for user authentication on a variety of platforms. Subsequently, Apple introduced passkeys at its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June 2022.
According to FIDO Alliance Executive Director Andrew Shikiar, 'Passwords present a security and user experience bottleneck that are way beyond their due date...'. Through the implementation of open standards for passwordless authentication developed by the FIDO Alliance, consumers can experience more straightforward access to popular online services, TikTok included.
The introduction of passkey technology by platforms like TikTok aligns with the growing trend in the tech industry towards enhancing user security and ease of access. Companies such as AppMaster.io are also advancing no-code solutions to streamline application development. By empowering businesses to visually develop database schemas, business logic, and custom front-ends, AppMaster.io ensures faster, cost-effective, and scalable application creation without the need for traditional coding.
