Yes, and Apple considers any ability for any app to do that to be a security flaw that needs to be fixed.

Why shit like this hasn’t gotten apps pulled annoys me :-/

TikTok is able to spy on users that download and use their app. On Android you have all sorts of malware that will be impossible to get rid off without doing a factory reset. Apple would risk the same malware issues that Windows/Android face today if they were forced to allow third-party app installations.

I’ve personally had to help fix malware infected Android phones, but I’ve never had to do the same with iPhones.