Australia has announced that it will ban the popular social media app TikTok on government devices due to concerns over national security.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus stated that the decision was based on advice from intelligence agencies and would come into effect “as soon as practicable”.
The move places Australia in line with its Five Eyes security alliance partners, the United States, Britain, Canada, and New Zealand, who have already banned the app.
France, the Netherlands, and the European Commission have also taken similar measures. The ban comes amid concerns that the Chinese-owned app could be used to collect data and share it with the Chinese government.
Cybersecurity experts have warned that the app’s extensive data collection could pose significant privacy and security risks.
While the ban is limited to government devices, it is estimated that around seven million Australians, or one-quarter of the population, use the app.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Fergus Ryan called the ban on government devices a “no-brainer” given the risks, while also noting that Beijing may perceive it as “unfair treatment” of a Chinese company.
China has denied that its laws require firms to hand over personal data to the state, stating that it “has never and will not require companies or individuals to collect or provide data located in a foreign country in a way that violates local law”, according to a foreign ministry spokesperson.
TikTok has criticized the government bans, labelling them as “rooted in xenophobia”, while denying any involvement with the Chinese government.
The app’s Australian spokesperson, Lee Hunter, stated that the company would “never” provide user data to the Chinese government and is taking steps to ensure it remains impossible.
However, TikTok admitted last year that some employees in China could access European user data and had used it to spy on journalists.
Despite the company’s defence, Australia has followed the lead of other Western nations and banned TikTok on government devices due to concerns over privacy and security risks.
In March, New Zealand also banned the app on government devices, citing unacceptable risks. Many government departments initially sought to use TikTok as a means of reaching younger demographics.
However, with growing concerns over Chinese surveillance, countries are increasingly taking action to mitigate potential risks, such as Australia’s recent move to remove Chinese-made CCTV cameras from politicians’ offices due to security concerns.
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