UK Ministers Banned From Using TikTok on Government Devices

The ban comes after multiple similar decisions taken by parliaments in the EU, USA and Canada

The United Kingdom has now banned its ministers from using Chinese app TikTok on government owned devices to prevent security and data breaches as rumors about TikTok’s data security continue throughout the EU, USA and Canada.

This ban has been initiated since the British Government fears that TikTok can possibly steal sensitive data from the government issued devices that are used for work by ministers.

Fear and speculations about the social media application being used to steal private data, stemmed after it was revealed that the Chinese government owns shares in Bytedance, which is the parent company to TikTok.

UK Cabinet Minister Oliver Dowden, while talking about the ban, said that this was a “precautionary move” that should come into effect immediately.

TikTok, up until now has denied all allegations about its connection with the Chinese government and said that it respects user data and does not share it with the Chinese government.

TikTok’s vice-president of government relations and public policy in Europe, called the banning a geopolitical move, saying that the move was “more on geopolitics than anything else.”

“We asked to be judged not on the fears that people have, but on the facts,” he added.

The Chinese Embassy in London made similar remarks and went on to call the move to be more about political “rather than facts”.

This decision “would undermine the confidence of the international community in the UK’s business environment,” added the embassy.

Around a few months back, when rumors about the TikTok being connected to the Chinese Government first began, the company sent out a message saying that the decisions being considered by government’s are based around “fundamental misconceptions”.

“We remain committed to working with the government to address any concerns but should be judged on facts and treated equally to our competitors,” TikTok added.

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