Citing cybersecurity concerns, New Zealand has become the latest country to prohibit the Chinese video-sharing software TikTok from being used on devices connected to the country’s parliamentary network. The app will be blocked on all network-connected devices at the end of March. In an email to Reuters, Parliamentary Service Chief Rafael Gonzalez-Montero stated that the decision was made after consulting with cybersecurity specialists and consulting with officials from other countries.
Joe Biden’s government urged that TikTok’s owner sell their stakes or face a ban in the country
“Based on this evidence, the Service has judged that the risks are unacceptable in the current New Zealand Parliamentary climate,” he explained. Montero went on to say that “special arrangements” will be made for people who need the app to accomplish their work. On Wednesday, Britain banned the Chinese social media app on government devices with “immediate effect.” A government official said, “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. We are also going to ban the use of TikTok on government devices. We will do so with immediate effect.”
Concerns have grown around the world over the possibility that the Chinese government could access the user’s personal data, including tracking their whereabouts. The security concerns were highlighted this week when US President Joe Biden’s government urged that TikTok’s owner sell their stakes or face a ban in the country. In response, the app disputed all eavesdropping allegations and stated that the prohibitions are based on “basic misconceptions that have been driven broader by geopolitics.” It also noted that it spent almost $2.5 billion on data security operations.
