UK Bans TikTok from Government Mobile Phones - Slashdot

1 year ago

source link: https://mobile.slashdot.org/story/23/03/16/1428252/uk-bans-tiktok-from-government-mobile-phones
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UK Bans TikTok from Government Mobile Phones

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UK Bans TikTok from Government Mobile Phones (theguardian.com) 18

Posted by msmash

on Thursday March 16, 2023 @12:00PM from the closer-look dept.

Britain is to ban the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok from ministers' and civil servants' mobile phones, bringing the UK in line with the US and the European Commission and reflecting deteriorating relations with Beijing. From a report: The decision marks a sharp U-turn from the UK's previous position and came a few hours after TikTok said its owner, ByteDance, had been told by Washington to sell the app or face a possible ban in the country. The UK government's announcement was made on Thursday by Oliver Dowden, the Cabinet Office minister, in the Commons. He said the ban was taking place "with immediate effect."

The decision follows a review of TikTok by government cybersecurity experts at the National Cyber Security Centre, and will cover ministers' and civil servants' work phones, but not their personal phones. "This is a proportionate move based on a specific risk with government devices," Dowden added. At least two cabinet ministers use TikTok. Michelle Donelan, the science and technology secretary, and Grant Shapps, the energy security and net zero secretary have an account on the app, which is used by millions of young people and many celebrities and influencers.

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