The United Kingdom banned TikTok on official devices and announced that the measure is with immediate and effect
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This prohibition applies to government corporate devices, so up to now those for personal use have not been mentioned. In response, the company said that it is an error that responds to geopolitical interests.
Due to cybersecurity reasons, the UK announced a ban on TikTok on government devices, a move it said is “immediately” enforced as part of a cyber “hygiene” the country is following in line with the US and Canada. among others, who have also made the same decision.
“We are going to ban the use of TikTok on government devices” with “immediate effect”, declared in Parliament the Minister of State, Oliver Dowden, whose portfolio includes cybersecurity issues.
The app has come under increasing scrutiny over its security and data privacy, with concerns that it could be used to promote pro-Beijing views or collect user data, something TikTok strongly denies.
#Ahora | El Reino Unido anuncia la prohibición inmediata de la aplicación TikTok en los teléfonos del gobierno. El ministro Oliver Dowden señaló que es una "medida de precaución" por razones de seguridad. pic.twitter.com/QWXJztrL4O
— Adela Micha (@Adela_Micha) March 16, 2023
The EU Commission and more than half of the states and the US Congress have already introduced a ban over concerns about potential cyberattacks.
This ban applies to government corporate devices within ministerial and non-ministerial departments, but will not extend to personal devices for government employees or ministers or the general public, it said.
In response, TikTok, owned by Chinese internet company ByteDance, said it was “disappointed with this decision.”
A spokesperson claimed that, “These bans have been based on fundamental misconceptions and are driven by broader geopolitics, in which TikTok and our millions of users in the UK play no role.”
“We remain committed to working with the government to address any concerns, but we must be judged by the facts and treated equally with our competitors,” the company insisted.