> ("But you can always download from the official App Store!" you may say. But what if, say, Tik Tok announces they will from now on leave the App Store and available only via direct download?)

Personal freedom always has personal responsibility attached. If you direct download it and it's malicious, well, that's your own problem. Probably should've thought about it better.

If you don't want to think about security, all you have to do is only install apps that are in the app store. Why should everyone else be restricted from doing whatever they want with their phones?