The United Kingdom has declared an immediate ban on TikTok on government devices. TikTok is a Chinese-owned social media app for brief video sharing that is creating privacy and security concerns, particularly in Western countries.
“We’re moving to a system where government devices will only be able to access third-party apps that are on a pre-approved list,” Dowden told lawmakers.
“We are also going to ban the use of TikTok on government devices. We will do so with immediate effect.”
TikTok has been the target of privacy concerns. Voices, primarily from the Western realm, have repeatedly claimed that TikTok user data can be exploited by the Chinese state for monitoring and espionage.
Several leaders in numerous nations and territories have voiced concern that China may acquire access to the data
Dowden said that the prohibition does not apply to personal devices and that there will be limited exceptions if TikTok is required on government devices for operational reasons.
“This is a proportionate move based on a specific risk with government devices,” Dowden had said earlier.
When the possibility of such a restriction was first revealed earlier this week, TikTok stated that it would be disappointed.
Several leaders in numerous nations and territories have voiced concern that China may acquire access to the data of their inhabitants or authorities via TikTok. TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is based in Beijing. In recent months, many legislatures, including the United States, dozens of states, Canada, and the European Commission, have banned TikTok on government-owned devices. It was already banned in India in June 2020.
The US government has warned ByteDance to sell the app or face a complete ban in the country, according to reports (verified by TikTok). Several bills are being considered that would give President Joe Biden or the Commerce Secretary the authority to ban TikTok. The alleged change occurred over three years after former President Donald Trump tried to force ByteDance to sell TikTok and a week before TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will testify before a House committee.