UK bans TikTok from government devices. Here's why

UK Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden has announced that the Chinese-owned video app TikTok would not be allowed on UK government phones due to security concerns. According to Dowden, there is a possibility that the app may pose a risk to the usage of government data and information, according to reports.

Cabinet Minister Dowden said that although the use of TikTok within the government is minimal, its ban is a necessary step for good cyber 'hygiene'. This move aligns the UK with the US which has already taken similar actions. However, the Labour party has criticized the government's decision, stating that it is a "sticking plaster solution" and a U-turn at the eleventh hour.

#Ahora | El Reino Unido anuncia la prohibición inmediata de la aplicación TikTok en los teléfonos del gobierno. El ministro Oliver Dowden señaló que es una "medida de precaución" por razones de seguridad. pic.twitter.com/QWXJztrL4O

— Adela Micha (@Adela_Micha) March 16, 2023

TikTok has faced mounting scrutiny regarding its data privacy and security, with concerns that it may be used to promote pro-Beijing views or collect user data. TikTok has refuted these allegations.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner supported the government's decision but criticized their delay in taking action.

In her address to the Commons, she reminded that Parliament had closed its TikTok account in August 2020, and the US had banned TikTok from official devices in December of the same year. The European Commission also followed suit nearly a month ago. However, on February 28, the Secretary of State for Science and Innovation had stated that TikTok was a matter of personal choice, and a ban would be too assertive since there was no evidence.

Rayner pointed out that the government's policy had changed drastically in just two weeks with two different ministers, and it is the same recurring pattern - the government is behind the curve with temporary solutions and is then forced to make a U-turn at the eleventh hour.

Previously, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had implied that a ban on TikTok was possible, stating that the UK would follow the lead of its allies. Security Minister Tom Tugendhat had also requested that the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) investigate TikTok earlier this week, citing the need to maintain the safety and freedom of the UK's diplomatic processes.

Last year, the UK parliament shut down its TikTok account after MPs expressed concerns about the app's connections to China.

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