Concerns around TikTok’s potential ties to the Chinese Government are beginning to expand calls for the app to be banned in more regions. The UK is the latest player to give a crack at it, with the UK Government now looking to also have the app outlawed on its Government issued devices. As The Guardian reports:

“[UK Prime Minister] Rishi Sunak has been urged to ban government officials from using TikTok in line with moves by the EU and US, amid growing cybersecurity fears over China. Officials in Europe and the US have been told to limit the use of the Chinese-owned social video app over concerns that data can be accessed by Beijing.”

Bloody Hell

As The Guardian notes, the calls come after EU officials issued a directive for Government employees to remove the app from their devices earlier this week. At the same time, TikTok is now also banned on Government phones in 26 US States. The US Government is still in the process of assessing the app’s safety risks, which could still result in a full US ban. With the pressure mounting, there’s definitely a growing momentum on this front.

TikTok’s case is being hurt by rumors of China’s possible intervention in the Ukraine conflict, with some suggesting that the CCP is close to offering assistance to Russian forces. There’s no official information about this as yet, but as the US continues to support Ukraine, and as China continues being China, tensions continue to mount, which could lead to further conflict. This then amplifies concerns around TikTok, which is technically beholden to the Chinese Government to share information on its users, as per China’s cyber laws.

While much of the information that can be gleaned from TikTok is mostly relatively harmless, officials from ByteDance have already shown how TikTok tracking data can be used to spy on US journalists. With this in mind, it makes sense that security officials are sounding the alarm for government employees. Since the EU is more stringent in its online regulations, it has always operated on a ‘better safe than sorry’ mindset. It might look like an overreaction, but given how everything is on edge right now, the UK doesn’t have time to juggle unsolicited surveillance concerns.

The Wrap

One likely alternative would be to sell off TikTok to a local business owner to at least keep it running, or lose the app entirely. Most British TikTokers would choose option #1. While still highly unlikely that things will result in a full, nationwide ban, it does remain a possibility, and one that becomes more realistic as US/China relations continue to worsen.

Sources 

http://bit.ly/3EJ6T2R