On Friday, Ireland’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) issued a recommendation advising government department staff and state agencies to avoid using the Chinese-owned video platform TikTok on official devices.
This warning reflects a growing trend among several Western nations, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and various European Union countries, which have implemented bans on TikTok due to security concerns. Notably, the European Union’s primary legislative bodies prohibited the app last month.
Governments and regulators are scrutinizing TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, amid apprehensions that the Chinese government could exploit the application to seize user data or further its own interests.
Richard Browne, the director of the NCSC, emphasized that TikTok is one of the top applications regarding the volume of user data collected. He pointed out the associated risks stemming from Chinese intelligence laws that could potentially impact data security.
“The issue here is not what we currently know is happening, but rather what we cannot dismiss may be happening,” Browne stated during an interview with national broadcaster RTE.
“Given the existing risks in this context, it is prudent to adopt a sensible, risk-based approach to ensure that government data remains secure from potential compromise,” he added.
While the NCSC’s recommendation applies to official devices, it clarified that there are no restrictions preventing politicians from using TikTok on personal devices. The app could still be utilized on official devices in exceptional circumstances where a legitimate business need arises, such as within a press office.
TikTok runs various operations in Europe from its Dublin office, including aspects of data privacy and protection. Last month, the company announced plans to establish a second data center in Ireland and to decrease the transfer of data outside of the EU.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
