UK bans TikTok on government phones over security concerns

By Movieja M and Kylie MacLellan

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain said on Thursday it had banned TikTok on government phones with immediate effect, following other Western countries that have banned the Chinese-owned video app over security concerns.

“The protection of sensitive government information must come first, so today we are banning this app from government devices. The use of other data extraction apps will be reviewed,” Cabinet Minister Oliver Dowden said in a statement.

The British government has asked the National Cyber Security Center to investigate the vulnerability of government data from social media applications and the risks associated with how sensitive information can be accessed and used.

“Restricting the use of TikTok on government devices is a prudent and proportionate step, following the advice of our cybersecurity experts,” Dowden said.

TikTok said it was disappointed by the decision and had already initiated measures to further protect European users’ data.

“We believe these bans are based on fundamental misconceptions and are driven by wider geopolitics, in which TikTok and our millions of UK users play no part,” a spokesperson for the app said.

“We are committed to working with the government to address any concerns, but we must be judged on the facts and treated like our competitors.”

Dowden told parliament that government devices can now only access third-party apps from a pre-approved list.

He added that the TikTok ban does not include personal devices of government officials or ministers, and there are limited exemptions when TikTok is required on government devices for work purposes.

The United States, Canada, Belgium and the European Commission have already banned the short video site from official devices.

(By Muwija M and Kylie MacLellan)

((Translation by Sao Paulo Editorial Office) REUTERS BC IV