UK’s National Cyber Security Centre is investigating the potential implications of permitting the video app TikTok, operated by a Chinese company, to be utilized on government-issued mobile phones. This inquiry was announced by security minister Tom Tugendhat on Tuesday.
TikTok is experiencing increased scrutiny due to concerns that user data may be accessed by the Chinese government and cause a risk to Western security interests.
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The United States, Canada, Belgium, and the European Commission are among those that have already banned the app, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance Ltd, from government devices, reported Reuters.“Understanding exactly what the challenges that these apps pose and what they are asking for and how they’re reaching into our lives is incredibly important,” Tugendhat told Sky News when asked if he would like to see TikTok banned from British government phones.
“That’s why I’ve asked the National Cyber Security Centre to look into this. I haven’t yet had an answer. So I’m not going to give you that answer yet. I can’t.” In a separate interview with Times Radio, he said: “We need to make sure that our phones are not spyware, but useful tools for us.” TikTok said it would be disappointed by such a ban.
