The UK has joined the US, EU, and Canada in banning TikTok from government devices, citing “a specific risk with government devices.”
TikTok is facing an existential crisis as governments and jurisdictions struggle with the security implications of the social media app. The company has come under fire for its ties to Beijing, especially since Chinese companies are required to aid the government with surveillance. There have also been repeated lapses in privacy, including TikTok’s parent admitting to surveilling journalists.
The UK has evidently determined the risks are too great, passing a ban involving the app and government devices, according to The Guardian. Oliver Dowden, the Cabinet Office minister in the Commons, said the ban was “with immediate effect.”
The decision is a marked change of tune for the UK government, which had previously said it would not follow other governments in banning the app.