Wave of countries ban TikTok on government devices over security concerns

Many countries are banning TikTok on government devices due to security concerns and increasing doubts over the popular app’s trustworthiness.

TikTok has been the subject of immense scrutiny by lawmakers globally as a result of privacy concerns, and its parent company’s association with the Chinese Communist Party. US lawmakers set a precedent in December by prohibiting its installation on government devices, and now other countries are following suit.

While the initial bans are only applicable to government devices, they could be a sign of further restrictions as countries become more cautious about allowing TikTok unrestricted access within their borders.

Here are the countries that have imposed bans on installing TikTok on government devices.

New Zealand: Officials prohibited the installation of TikTok on devices connected to the country’s parliamentary network, citing cybersecurity concerns. “The risks are not acceptable in the current New Zealand Parliamentary environment,” Parliamentary Service Chief Executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero stated.

Canada: The US neighbor banned the installation of TikTok on government devices on Monday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau framed the decision as either a potential first step toward more action in the future, or a final step: “I suspect that as the government takes the significant step of telling all federal employees that they can no longer use TikTok on their work phones, many Canadians from business to private individuals will reflect on the security of their data and perhaps make choices,” he said.

United Kingdom: Following a TikTok investigation, UK officials declared on Thursday that the government would ban the app from devices owned by the 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 Oliver Dowden commented in a press statement.

Belgium: Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced on March 10 that TikTok had been banned from government phones due to security risks connected to the company’s data collection and its links to the CCP. “That’s why it is logical to forbid the use of TikTok on phones provided by the federal government. The safety of our information must prevail,” De Croo concluded.

European Union: On February 28, the international body announced that it was outlawing the installation of TikTok on government devices by employees. “In view of cybersecurity concerns, in particular regarding data protection and collection of data by third parties, the European Parliament has decided, in alignment with other institutions, to suspend, as from March 20 2023, the use of the TikTok mobile application on corporate devices,” EU officials stated.

United States: Congress passed legislation in December banning the installation of the app on government devices, with mostly bipartisan support. Congress is currently contemplating an outright ban and has proposed various pieces of legislation to ban the app entirely. A bill from Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) would impose a nationwide TikTok ban. A bill from Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and John Thune (R-SD) would not expressly forbid the app but will give additional powers to the Commerce Department to scrutinize China-affiliated apps and determine whether they represent a legitimate security threat.