The U.K. authorities said on Thursday that they are banning TikTok from government devices on security grounds, following similar steps taken by the U.S. and the European Union.
Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden told Parliament that the ban applies immediately to work phones and other devices used by government ministers and civil servants. He noted that the ban did not apply to personal phones and devices and called it a precautionary move. Given the risk around government devices, which may contain sensitive information, it is prudent and proportionate to restrict the use of certain apps, particularly when it comes to apps where a large amount of data can be stored and accessed, according to Dowden.
TikTok and millions of users in the U.K play no part in the bans, according to ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, told The Associated Press on Thursday that they have been based on fundamental misconceptions and driven by wider geopolitics. We remain committed to working with the government to address any concerns, but we should be judged on facts and treated equally to our competitors. Neither TikTok nor ByteDance responded immediately to FOX Business's request for comment.
This new action comes after the U.S. government mandated last month that employees of federal agencies must delete TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices.
The European Union, Belgium and others have temporarily banned the app from work phones.
China is accusing the U.S. of spreading disinformation and suppressing TikTok after reports that the White House called for the platform's owners to sell their stakes in the app.