The European Union’s primary policy organizations have implemented a ban on TikTok for staff devices due to cybersecurity concerns, reflecting increasing apprehensions surrounding the Chinese video-sharing platform and its management of user data.
Owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, TikTok has faced mounting scrutiny from international authorities, stemming from fears that the Chinese government might exploit the app to collect data on its users or further its own interests.
Thierry Breton, the EU’s industry chief, confirmed the ban initiated by the European Commission but refrained from commenting on whether the Commission had previously encountered any related incidents involving TikTok.
Additionally, staff members at the EU Council, which comprises representatives from member states to determine policy directions, will also be required to remove TikTok from personal devices that access Council services.
In response to the ban, TikTok expressed disappointment and surprise, noting that the Commission had failed to communicate with them prior to implementing the policy.
Last December, the US Senate passed legislation preventing federal employees from using TikTok on government-owned devices, while the app remains banned in India.
The European Commission stated that the decision encompasses both work and personal devices. In a formal statement, they outlined, “To enhance its cybersecurity, the Commission’s Corporate Management Board has decided to suspend the use of the TikTok application on its corporate devices and on personal devices enrolled in the Commission mobile device service.” The aim is to safeguard the Commission against cybersecurity threats and potential cyber-attacks targeting its corporate environment.
A TikTok spokesperson indicated that the company had not been contacted directly by the Commission and received no explanation for the decision. “We believe this suspension is misguided and based on fundamental misconceptions. We have reached out to the Commission to clarify and explain how we protect the data of the 125 million users across the EU who engage with TikTok each month,” the spokesperson stated.
The European Parliament acknowledged awareness of the Commission’s decision and confirmed ongoing communication with them. “Relevant services are also monitoring and assessing all potential data breaches related to the app and will consider the European Commission’s evaluation before providing recommendations to European Parliament authorities,” a spokesperson remarked.
The Commission stated it will continuously review security developments across other social media platforms as well.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
