Voice of America
18 Mar 2023, 11:37 GMT+10
London - Britain said on Thursday it would ban TikTok on government phones with immediate effect, a move that follows other Western countries in barring the Chinese-owned video app over security concerns.
TikTok has come under increasing scrutiny due to fears that user data from the app owned by Beijing-based company ByteDance could end up in the hands of the Chinese government, undermining Western security interests.
'The security of sensitive government information must come first, so today we are banning this app on government devices. The use of other data-extracting apps will be kept under review,' Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden said in a statement.
The British government had asked the National Cyber Security Centre to look at the potential vulnerability of government data from social media apps and risks around how sensitive information could be accessed and used.
The United States, Canada, Belgium and the European Commission have already banned the app from official devices.
'Restricting the use of TikTok on government devices is a prudent and proportionate step following advice from our cyber security experts,' Dowden said.
TikTok said it was disappointed with the decision and had already begun taking steps to further protect European user data.
'We believe these bans have been based on fundamental misconceptions and driven by wider geopolitics, in which TikTok, and our millions of users in the UK, play no part,' a TikTok spokesperson said.
China said the decision was based on political considerations rather than facts.
The move 'interferes with the normal operations of relevant companies in the UK and will ultimately only harm the UK's own interests', its embassy in London said in a statement.
Dowden told parliament government devices would now only be able to access third party apps from a pre-approved list.
The TikTok ban does not include personal devices of government employees or ministers and there would be limited exemptions where TikTok was required on government devices for work purposes, he added.
British government departments and ministers have been increasingly using TikTok and other platforms to communicate with voters.
Energy Minster Grant Shapps said the ban on government devices was sensible, but he would stay on the platform on his personal phone.
He posted a clip from the movie 'Wolf of Wall Street' in which Leonardo DiCaprio's character says 'I'm not f****** leaving', and 'The show goes on'.
Britain's Ministry of Defense posted a video on the platform shortly before the ban was announced showing how the British army was training Ukrainian forces to use the Challenger 2 battle tank.
Get a daily dose of Mexico Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Mexico Star.
More InformationPARIS, France: France is taking stronger steps to reduce smoking. A new health rule announced on Saturday will soon ban smoking in...
VILNIUS, Lithuania – A growing body of research suggests that selectively restricting a single nutrient in our diet could have profound...
The president has called for the promotion of large traditional families President Vladimir Putin urged Russians on Thursday to promote...
BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhua) -- With policy support and improving environmental awareness and growing health consciousness of the public,...
Washington, DC [USA], July 3 (ANI): The Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting (QFIM) held in Washington placed strong emphasis on the importance...
Sangareddy (Telangana) [India], July 3 (ANI): Telangana's Senior Congress leader V. Hanumanth Rao visited the Sigachi Pharma Factory...
GENEVA, Switzerland: A new United Nations report alleges that dozens of global corporations are profiting from and helping sustain...
LONDON, UK - Lawmakers in the United Kingdom have voted overwhelmingly to proscribe the direct-action group Palestine Action as a terrorist...
DHARAMSHALA, India: The Dalai Lama is set to address a significant three-day conference of Buddhist leaders this week, coinciding with...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: In a significant ruling last week, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring age verification for users...
ISTANBUL/PARIS/BRUSSELS: As searing temperatures blanket much of Europe, wildfires are erupting and evacuation orders are being issued...
VENICE, Italy: Over the weekend, hundreds of protesters marched through the narrow streets of Venice to voice their opposition to billionaire...