The French government has announced a ban on the use of the Chinese-owned video-sharing application TikTok on work devices used by civil servants. This measure was confirmed by Civil Service Minister Stanislas Guerini via a statement on his Twitter account.
Guerini emphasized that the decision aims to ensure the cybersecurity of government operations and the safety of civil servants. He explained, “In order to guarantee the cybersecurity of our administrations and civil servants, the government has decided to ban recreational applications such as TikTok on the professional phones of civil servants.”
In recent weeks, several of France’s European and international partners have taken similar steps to limit or prohibitthe downloading and installation of TikTok on government devices.
The minister pointed out that recreational apps lack the necessary cybersecurity and data protection standards required for use on governmental equipment. The ban is effective immediately, and government services are set to enforce compliance.
Guerini mentioned that there may be exceptions for specific professional purposes, including the institutional communication needs of administrations.
This action follows a series of bans by other Western governments, including the UK Parliament, Dutch and Belgian administrations, and the New Zealand Parliament, all of which have restricted TikTok due to similar cybersecurity concerns.
Recently, the European Union’s leading policy-making bodies, the Commission and the Council, also prohibited the application from staff devices for security reasons.
Global unease regarding the potential for the Chinese government to gain access to users’ location and contact data has intensified, given that TikTok is operated by ByteDance, its Chinese parent company.
In the United States, lawmakers have raised concerns about TikTok’s impact on youth, criticizing the platform for exposing young users to harmful content and leading to emotional distress. During a congressional hearing, TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, defended the platform, asserting that while the “vast majority” of TikTok users are over 18, the company continues to invest in safeguarding younger users.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
