The United Kingdom has banned government officials from using TikTok
LONDON: The United Kingdom (UK) government has banned its officials from using the social media application, TikTok, which is the same action taken in several other countries such as Canada, the European Union (EU) and the United States (US).
The TikTok application, however, is not widely used among the country’s government officials, however, the concern voiced is China’s interests with its owner, ByteDance.
In fact, the concern is also about the possibility of the Chinese government forcing TikTok owners to share user information.
“This is an initial step based on detailed risks involving government devices,” said government spokesman Oliver Dowden.
In an immediate reaction, TikTok expressed regret at the decision made by the UK government.
“We believe this ban was based on a misunderstanding and was driven by the widespread use of TikTok including millions of users in the UK, not to be outdone,” said a TikTok spokesperson.
The spokesperson said, the management of the TikTok application at the same time stressed, will remain committed to working with the government in conveying any concerns based on facts in addition to giving equal treatment to competitors.
The UK government’s announcement comes a day after the US government asked the app’s owner to sell its stake or face a ban.
