Why is TikTok banned on government devices in many countries around the world?

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A growing number of countries around the world are backing the US government’s policies to ban the use of the TikTok app on government or government employee electronic devices. The movement was initiated by the Biden administration last December, and was followed by the European Commission’s similar ban on TikTok on employee phones and corporate devices.

Canada bans TikTok on government devices

Joining the US and European Commission's TikTok ban movement, the Canadian government recently announced that it will also begin banning the use of the TikTok app on government-issued electronic devices from March 2, 2023.

Government-issued devices will be blocked from downloading TikTok and existing installations of the app will be deleted, the latest time the Canadian government has announced restrictions on the short-form video app amid cybersecurity concerns.

Regarding this issue, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that TikTok owned by China's ByteDance Group poses an "unacceptable" level of risk to privacy and security and his government is carefully considering how to ensure online safety for Canadians.

In a statement, Treasury Board President Mona Fortier said that for Canada, the government’s decision to remove and block TikTok from mobile devices was taken as a precaution, especially given concerns about the legality of information collected from mobile devices, and was in line with those of “our international partners.” The U.S. federal government, along with more than half of the U.S. states and the European Commission, have all announced similar restrictions on the TikTok app on devices they regulate.

Prime Minister Trudeau believes that by banning TikTok from government-owned devices, more Canadians and businesses will think about the security of their data and be able to make an informed choice about whether or not to use it.

However, Ms. Fortier added that while the risks of using TikTok are clear, the government has no evidence that government information has been compromised. For the public, choosing an app or social media platform is a personal choice. However, the Canadian Cyber ​​Security Centre's guidance strongly recommends that Canadians understand the risks and make informed choices before deciding which tool to use.

TikTok's fate in the US and Europe

Governments around the world are grappling with the expansive scope of China’s digital regulations, which have paved the way for Beijing’s global data collection. As data crosses borders without explicit consent, experts say the privacy of individuals, organizations, and even government agencies is at risk, posing a potential threat to national security.

Earlier this week, the White House even imposed a new order giving government agencies 30 days to ensure they do not have the Chinese-owned TikTok app on federal devices and information systems. The US government requires government agencies to adjust their IT contracts to ensure vendors keep US data safe by eliminating the use of TikTok on their devices and information systems.

However, the move only affects the 100 million Americans who use TikTok on personal or company-owned devices. Prior to this week’s directive, Congress voted in December to ban federal employees from using TikTok on government-owned devices and gave the Biden administration 60 days to issue related directives.

Ahead of the vote, several government agencies, including the White House, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security and Department of State, also banned the use of TikTok on government devices.

U.S. and allied officials have expressed concern that TikTok or its Chinese parent company ByteDance could be forced by the Chinese government to hand over personal information about TikTok users. Independent security experts have said that type of access is possible, although there have been no reports of such access incidents to date.

As for the European Commission, in an effort to “protect data and strengthen cybersecurity,” employees working at the Commission have been ordered to delete the TikTok app from their phones and information devices.

The ban also means that European Commission employees will not be able to use TikTok with official apps installed on their personal devices. The Commission said it has about 32,000 contract and official employees, and they are required to do so by March 15, 2023.

In the UK, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has also encouraged a ban on government officials using TikTok on personal and government-issued devices.

And TikTok's reaction

When Canada imposed the ban, TikTok said it was disappointed by the decision. The ByteDance-owned company later issued another statement noting that Canada had only blocked the app after similar bans in the European Union and the United States. A TikTok spokesperson said the ban was issued without citing any specific security concerns.

“We are always willing to meet with government officials to discuss how we protect the privacy and security of TikTok users, but removing TikTok in this way would not achieve that shared goal,” a TikTok spokesperson said.