UK Considers Banning TikTok on Government Devices

The UK government is contemplating a ban on the popular short-video sharing app TikTok for official devices, following concerns about the app's potential privacy risks. Tom Tugendhat MP, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, called on the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to investigate the app, citing fears over the Chinese government's access to user data.

A spokesperson for TikTok said they would be "disappointed” if the UK were to ban TikTok on official devices, according to The Guardian. Sources indicate that the Cabinet Office may make an announcement, potentially on Thursday, following an official review involving the National Cyber Security Centre, a division of GCHQ, as well as similar bans announced by the European Commission and the US within the last three weeks.

Despite reassurances from TikTok, Tugendhat believes that the app could pose a national security risk. He told Times Radio, "looking at the various different apps people have on their phones and the implications for them is a hugely important question, and I've asked the National Cyber Security Centre to look into this".

Tugendhat's concerns mirror those of the US, which considered banning the app in 2020 but settled on a partial restriction, prohibiting federal employees from using TikTok on government devices.

Some critics argue that the proposed ban could infringe on the right to freedom of expression. However, Tugendhat claims the ban is not about censorship but rather about safeguarding national security. He told Sky News that it was "absolutely essential" to keep the UK's "diplomatic processes free and safe".

In response to the potential ban, TikTok claimed that the move was "based on misplaced fears and seemingly driven by wider geopolitics." The company plans to ease concerns about the app's data privacy and security by “implementing a comprehensive plan to further protect our European user data”. This plan includes the migration of UK user data to a European data center to subject the company to stronger data privacy laws, along with the implementation of third-party oversight to ensure complete transparency.