UK bans TikTok on government phones

Following a similar decision by the US, Canada, Belgium and the European Commission, the UK is also banning TikTok from government devices over security concerns. The ban takes effect immediately.

Here’s what Cabinet Minister Oliver Dowden has to say about it.

The security of sensitive government information must come first, which is why today we are banning this app on government devices. Use of other data mining apps will be monitored.

Dowden’s statement suggests other apps are also being looked at, and TikTok is just the start. Officials will now be able to install third-party apps on government devices

The app is notorious for mining user data outside of the app itself, which is the source of coins for many western countries. Of course, the ban only affects government devices used to work with sensitive information, but government employees are free to install TikTok on their personal smartphones.

A TikTok spokesperson said the company would try to work out a solution with the government as it believes the ban stems from a “fundamental misconception” and is “driven by broader geopolitics, in which users of TikTok and the UK play no role.”

Via