"Finally an app that works in the United Arab Emirates," one user commented. Right there you were extra grateful. Other, more common, chat apps like Whatsapp and Skype are not able to call there.

But since a few days it is no longer possible to download ToTok, neither to android nor iphone.

And many felt disappointed at how they could reach their loved ones now that Christmas is approaching, writes the National.

A dark agenda

But on Sunday, the answer came. The New York Times then published a review showing that the app that was received with such great pleasure has a dark agenda.

The UAE authorities are using the app to track every conversation, movement, relationship, meeting, sound and image, writes the New York Times.

Millions of people in the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Africa and North America already have the app on their phone, according to the magazine. Last week it was one of the most downloaded apps in the US. And according to statistics from the Google Play Store, the app was in the top 50 among free apps in Saudi Arabia, the UK, India and Sweden, writes the New York Times.

The free app ToTok has been downloaded by millions of users worldwide. Photo: New York Times.

Investigated for internet crimes

The company behind ToTok, which should not be confused with Chinese TikTok, is Breej Holding. According to analyzes and interviews conducted by the magazine, there is much to indicate that this company is a shell company linked to DarkMatter.

DarkMatter, in turn, is a company that provides intelligence and hacking services. The company is based in Abu Dhabi and consists of people working with intelligence in the Emirates, as well as former employees of US and Israeli intelligence services.

The FBI is currently investigating whether American employees at DarkMatter have committed an internet crime, Reuters reported earlier this year.

"Uninstall already yesterday"

After the New York Times contacted both the Play Store and the App Store to inquire about possible links to the United Arab Emirates, the app was deleted while investigating the matter further. But the users who have it on their phones can still use it.

In connection with a technical review of the app, a security researcher went out with the call: Uninstall the app already yesterday, the IT magazine writes the Wired.