New Zealand & the UK become the latest countries to ban TikTok from government devices

The UK and New Zealand separately announced that they will be joining the EU, the US and the Canada in banning TikTok from government-owned devices and network solutions, over security concerns.

This comes at a time when TikTok is desperately trying to negotiate with the US to make some changes to the ways in which they are organised. If TikTok cuts ties with China-owned ByteDance,

Looming security concerns for both, New Zealand and the UK

TikTok has come under increased scrutiny as a result of concerns that user data from the app, which is controlled by the Beijing-based firm ByteDance, could wind up in the hands of the Chinese government, undermining Western security interests.

Concerns have grown around the world about the Chinese government’s ability to access users’ data and contact information via ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent business.

“The protection of confidential government information must come first, so today we are prohibiting this programme on government devices. Other data-extracting applications will be monitored,” UK Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden said in a statement.

The British government had requested that the National Cyber Security Centre investigate the possible susceptibility of government data via social media apps, as well as the risks associated with how confidential information could be viewed and used.

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Meanwhile, in New Zealand, TikTok will be prohibited by the end of March on all platforms with access to the parliament’s network.

New Zealands Parliamentary Service Chief Executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said the decision was made after consulting with cybercrime specialists and holding talks within the government and with other nations.

“Based on this information, the Service determined that the risks are not acceptable in the current New Zealand Parliamentary environment,” he explained.

He noted that special provisions can be made for those who need the app to do their tasks.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins stated at a press conference that New Zealand operates differently than other countries.

“In terms of IT and cybersecurity policies, departments and agencies follow the advice of the (Government Communications Security Bureau); we don’t have a blanket approach across the public sector,” Hipkins explained.

Both the New Zealand Defence Force and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade announced on Friday that they had already enacted TikTok restrictions on work devices.

UK to allow some exceptions to the Ban

In the UK, Dowden informed lawmakers that government devices would no longer be able to access third-party applications unless they were on a pre-approved list.

The TikTok ban does not apply to government workers’ or ministers’ personal devices, and there would be limited exceptions where TikTok was needed on government devices for business reasons, he noted.

TikTok and other platforms are increasingly being used by British government agencies and officials to interact with voters.

Grant Shapps, Minister of Energy, said the prohibition on government devices was reasonable, but he would continue to use the site on his personal phone.

TikTok and China respond to the bans

TikTok expressed disappointment with the ruling and stated that it had already started taking steps to protect European user data.

“We believe these bans are based on fundamental misunderstandings and are driven by larger geopolitics, in which TikTok and our millions of UK users have no role,” a TikTok spokesperson said.

TikTok has stated that it thinks the recent bans are based on “fundamental misconceptions” and are motivated by larger geopolitics, adding that it has spent more than $1.5 billion on meticulous data security efforts and denies any claims of eavesdropping.

In response to a question about the TikTok bans imposed by the United Kingdom and New Zealand, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin stated during a regular news briefing on Friday that the two countries should “stop over-extending and abusing the concept of national security, and provide a fair and non-discriminatory environment to companies from all countries."

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