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Tik Tok Trouble: Albany Park Woman Upset With Man Taping Her Without Consent

CHICAGO (CBS) --  Sunday at midnight, TikTok and messaging app WeChat will vanish from U.S. app stores.

Users who already have TikTok on their phones will still be able to use it for now.

The Trump administration claims the Chinese are maliciously collecting Americans' personal data through the apps.

One person who said she will not be sad to see TikTok go is an Albany Park woman. She discovered a video of herself on the app that was recorded without her consent.

The story you'll only see on 2.

CBS 2's Meredith Barack has a warning from that woman and an apology from the man who posted the video.

It all began at a BP gas station at Pulaski and Montrose when Vanessa Gonzalez said a van pulled up and gave her an uneasy feeling.

Days later, she would find out the man inside was recording her. He said it was because she was texting while pumping gas, which signage does warn against.

But she said either way, what he did was wrong.

"My cousin tells me 'you're TikTok famous,'" Gonzalez said. "And I thought okay that's weird. I don't have TikTok."

She was then shown the video.

"Apparently a guy recorded me just pumping gas. It kind of had a lot of "likes" and yeah, I just found it disturbing because that's an invasion of my privacy."

Gonzalez said it made her feel embarrassed and creeped out.

"I don't know this man or his intentions at all," she said.

CBS 2 was able track down the man who is not identified. He told CBS 2 he is sorry, that he only made the TikTok video for fun, and has since deleted the app.

In the state of Illinois, it is not illegal to record video of someone without their consent unless they are using a restroom, tanning bed, locker room, changing room or hotel bedroom.

Gonzalez said she hopes her story encourages women to be more aware of their surroundings and to speak up if they feel uncomfortable.

"If they feel something to trust it, to call someone, call the police, and just always be aware of your surroundings," Gonzalez said. "Because you never know who could be doing what, or what their intentions are."

CBS 2 reached out to TikTok to see if there is a way to remove videos posted without someone's consent but the company has yet to respond.

 

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