TikTok will be banned from UK government phones amid security concerns around the Chinese-owned social media video app, Cabinet Office minister Oliverಞ Dowden announced in Parliament on Thursday.
The ban brings the UK in line with the US,✨ Canada and the European Union (EU) and also India – which banned TikTok entirely from the country, even as the company strongly denies sharing🐷 user data with the Chinese government.
Dowden told MPs that there "could be” a risk to how government data and information is used by the🗹 app.
“The securiღty of sensitive government information must come first, so today we are banning this app on𒁃 government devices,” said Dowden.
“The use of other data-extracting apps will be kept under review. Restricting the use of TikTok on government devices is a prudent and proportionate step following advice from our cyber security experts,” h♍e said.
The ban follows a security review which looked at the potential vulnerability of government data from social media apps on devices and the risks around how sensitive information could be accessed and us🃏ed by some platforms.
Beyond a “precautionary” ban on TikTok, the Cabinet ဣOffice said that given the potentially sensitive nature of information which is stored on government devices, government policy on the management of third-party applications will be strengthened.
Currently, there is limited use of TikTok within the government and a limited need for staff to use the app on work devices, the mini꧒stry said.
TikTok requires users to give permission for the app to access data stored on the device, which is then collected and stored b𒁃y the company.
Allowing such permissions gives the company access to a range of data on the device, including contacts, user content, and🍃 geolocation data. The UK government said, along with international partners, it is concerned about the way in which this data 🐼may be used.
The ban on government devic🍸es will apply to government corporate devices within all government departmen♊ts. The ban does not extend to personal devices for government employees, ministers or the general public.
However, they have been asked to be aware of each social media platform’sౠ data policies when consideri✱ng downloading and using them.
The Cabinet Office said specific exemptions for the use of TikTok on government devices🥂 are being put in place where required for work purposes.
Exemptions will only be granted by security teams on a case-by-case basis, with ministerial clearance as appropriate, and with security mitigations put in plac🥀e. These exemptions will cover areas such as individuals working in relevant enforcement roles and for the purposes of work on online harms.
