United Kingdom: The United Kingdom has banned TikTok on government phones with immediate effect, a move that comes after other Western countries banned the Chinese-owned video app over security concerns.
TikTok is going through increased scrutiny amid concerns that user data from the app, owned by Beijing-based company ByteDance, could be accessed by the Chinese government.
“The security of sensitive government information must come first, so today we are banning this app on government devices. The use of other data-extracting apps will be kept under review,” Cabinet Office Minister Mr. Oliver Dowden remarked in a statement.
The British government had asked the National Cyber Security Centre to check on the potential vulnerability of government data from social media apps and the risks around how sensitive information could be accessed and used.
The United States, Canada, Belgium, and the European Commission have already banned the app from official devices.
“Restricting the use of TikTok on government devices is a prudent and proportionate step, following advice from our cyber security experts,” Mr. Dowden added.
Geri Tech @ Pexels
The Minister told parliament that government devices would now only be able to access third-party apps from a pre-approved list.
The TikTok ban does not include personal devices of government employees or ministers, and there would be limited exemptions where TikTok was required on government devices for work purposes, Mr. Dowden added.
TikTok stated that it was disappointed with the decision and had already begun taking steps to further protect European user data.
“We believe these bans have been based on fundamental misconceptions and driven by wider geopolitics, in which TikTok and our millions of users in the UK play no part,” a TikTok spokesperson commented.
China accused that the decision was based on political considerations rather than facts.
“The move interferes with the normal operations of relevant companies in the UK and will ultimately only harm the UK’s own interests,” the Chinese embassy in London remarked in a statement.