The UK government is poised to announce a ban on TikTok for government-issued phones on Thursday, according to reports from PA Media. This decision aligns with actions taken by several other Western nations, which have restricted the use of the Chinese-origin video application due to security threats.
TikTok has faced mounting criticism amid concerns that user data collected by the app, developed by the Beijing-based company ByteDance, could potentially be accessed by the Chinese government, posing risks to the security of Western nations.
The National Cyber Security Centre in the UK has been assessing whether TikTok should no longer be available on government devices. Countries such as the US, Canada, Belgium, and the European Commission have already implemented similar bans on the app.
Security Minister Tom Tugendhat addressed the possibility of a ban earlier this week, emphasizing the importance of understanding the implications posed by such applications. In response to the anticipated ban, TikTok expressed disappointment.
The UK government is expected to issue a statement regarding the security of its devices later in the day.
On another front, TikTok revealed on Wednesday that the Biden administration has urged its Chinese owners to divest their interests in the popular platform or risk a potential ban in the United States.
This development stands out as a significant escalation in the ongoing scrutiny by US officials and lawmakers, who have voiced concerns about the safety of US user data being relayed to the Chinese government. TikTok boasts over 100 million users in the United States.
This marks the first instance during President Joe Biden’s administration where a ban on TikTok has been suggested. His predecessor, Donald Trump, attempted to prohibit the app in 2020, but those efforts were stymied by legal challenges.
TikTok representative Brooke Oberwetter stated to Reuters that the company had recently been in communication with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which is under the purview of the US Treasury. This committee has reportedly called on the app’s Chinese owners to sell their equity, threatening a possible ban should they decline.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
