iPhone Used Price 70 Million Won? ... US in Frenzy Buying 'TikTok Phone' Despite Security Risks

Used Phones with TikTok Installed Sold at High Prices in the U.S.
Premiums Paid Despite Security Risks After TikTok Downloads Ended
"Used Phones Inherently Carry the Risk of Personal Information Leakage"

In the United States, used phones with the video-sharing platform 'TikTok' installed are being traded at prices reaching tens of millions of won. Due to the so-called 'TikTok Ban Act,' which prevents new installations of the TikTok application (app), demand for used phones with the app already installed has surged. 'TikTok phones' have become the center of controversy due to their exorbitant prices and concerns over security risks.

On the 15th, searching for 'Tiktok phone' on the global e-commerce company eBay yields about 240 results. Some sellers listed iPhone 14 Plus with TikTok installed for 71 million won, iPhone 16 Pro for 70 million won, and Galaxy A6 for 37 million won on the site.

BBC UK pointed out, "Used phones with TikTok installed are being traded at astronomical prices on platforms like eBay and Facebook Marketplace," adding, "Some sellers are asking for amounts comparable to the cost of a new car."

The reason for the increased popularity of used phones with TikTok installed is related to the U.S. 'TikTok Ban Act.' Earlier, the U.S. Congress enacted the 'TikTok Ban Act' in April last year, citing concerns that TikTok's parent company, China's ByteDance, could collect large-scale personal information of Americans and pose a national security threat. The act essentially prohibits new downloads of TikTok unless ByteDance sells its U.S. business rights to an American company.

However, ByteDance did not sell its U.S. business rights, and on the 18th of last month, just before the law's enforcement, it voluntarily suspended TikTok app services. At that time, accessing TikTok displayed a message stating, "Due to the enforcement of the TikTok Ban Act, it cannot be used in the U.S. for the time being." Subsequently, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order suspending the TikTok ban for 75 days upon taking office, and the service has since been normalized. However, it remains impossible to newly download the TikTok app from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Global e-commerce company eBay is seeing iPhones with TikTok installed being sold at expensive prices reaching tens of millions of won. Screenshot from eBay

TikTok is a popular platform in the U.S. with over 170 million users. With new downloads no longer possible, some users are willing to pay high prices to purchase used phones with TikTok already installed.

Regarding this, Ryan McGrady, a professor researching the internet at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, explained to the BBC, "People might think of TikTok simply as an app, but people tend to be obsessed with online services, and when a service suddenly disappears, they become desperate."

However, warnings have also been raised that purchasing used phones could cause serious security issues. Professor McGrady expressed concern, saying, "Selling used phones that have not been reset is a golden opportunity for hackers," adding, "Used phones inherently carry the risk of personal information leakage."

Complaints continue from iPhone users who want to install TikTok. TikTok screenshot

Meanwhile, as user dissatisfaction grew, TikTok allowed Android users in the U.S. to download the app again on the 8th (local time). TikTok stated, "We took measures to bypass platform restrictions in the U.S. by providing the app through package files (APK) on our website." In other words, while the app is still not available on the Google Play Store, Android users can now directly install the app via the APK file if they wish.

On the other hand, Apple does not allow external app installations, so users must use TikTok through a web browser. This has increased dissatisfaction among Apple users.

The U.S. economic magazine Forbes said, "There is no clear answer as to when TikTok can be downloaded again on iPhones," adding, "The possibility of allowing downloads seems low until the legal situation is resolved." It further explained, "This issue will only be resolved once the TikTok acquisition process is completed, which is expected to take quite some time," and noted, "Especially since Tesla CEO Elon Musk denied the possibility of acquiring TikTok, the likelihood of an early normalization of TikTok has decreased even further."