The U.K. has confirmed that it is banning TikTok from all government phones amid ongoing security concerns surrounding the app and its Chinese owners.
The U.K. and other countries are concerned that TikTok could potentially be a security risk to government data because of the app’s possible data collection. That data could then theoretically wind up in the hands of the Chinese government.
Now, Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden has confirmed that the app will be banned, saying that doing so constituted good phone “hygiene.”
No countrywide ban
Sky News (opens in new tab) reports that Dowden took the time to stress that the government isn’t advising members of the public to also stop using TikTok.
“This ban applies to government corporate devices within ministerial and non-ministerial departments, but it will not extend to personal devices for government employees or ministers or the general public,” he said in a statement made to MPs.
The ban will take immediate effect, although there will be “limited exemptions” on some government devices where TikTok is required for work — likely those who run the government’s social media accounts, for example.
TikTok owner ByteDance said that it is “disappointed,” adding that it remains “committed to working with the government to address any concerns but should be judged on facts and treated equally to our competitors.”
The government has already been accused of acting too late, with many pointing to the fact that the United States had already banned TikTok from its own government devices in December 2022.
TikTok for its part contends that it does not share data with China, but it should be noted that the Chinese government can require companies within its jurisdiction to hand over data when requested. It’s thought that could open the door to data being collected on international users and then given to the Chinese authorities.
ByteDance did note that it has “begun implementing a comprehensive plan to further protect our European user data, which includes storing UK user data in our European data centers and tightening data access controls, including third-party independent oversight of our approach.”
TikTok’s popularity has exploded in recent years, becoming stiff competition for the likes of YouTube and Instagram. It’s become the go-to place for many to share their stories, whether that’s a video about picking up Apple’s latest and best iPhones or the latest dance craze.
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