Security News > 2023 > March > UK.gov bans TikTok from its devices as a 'precaution' over spying fears

The United Kingdom government has banned use of Chinese social media platform TikTok among ministers and officials on their work devices as a "Precautionary" measure over worries the app is used to snoop on Brits.

Speaking to Parliament this afternoon, Oliver Dowden, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Secretary of State who oversees Cabinet Office policy, said the ban would have immediate effect and applied to devices issued within ministerial and non-ministerial departments, but not to "Personal devices for government employees or ministers or the general public."

Dowden declined the opportunity to say on what advice it acted to exclude the Chinese video-sharing software from government devices.

The UK government's decision follows the US administration's threat to ban TikTok if its Chinese parent company ByteDance did not give up its ownership to help ease national security concerns.

The White House at the start of this month set a 30-day deadline for all federal staffers to expunge TikTok from their work devices, following Congress voting in December to ban the app on work devices.

Canada, the European Commission and Taiwan have also asked epmloyees to delete the app on government issued devices.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2023/03/16/ukgov_bans_tiktok_from_work_devices/