Australia bans TikTok from government devices over security concerns
AUSTRALIA on Tuesday (Apr 4) banned TikTok from all federal government-owned devices over security concerns, becoming the latest United States-allied country to take action against the Chinese-owned video app.
The ban underscores growing worries that China could use the Beijing-based company, owned by ByteDance, to harvest users’ data to advance its political agenda, undermining Western security interests.
It also risks renewing diplomatic tensions between Australia and its largest trading partner. Relations have somewhat eased since May, when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took office at the head of a Labor government.
TikTok said it was extremely disappointed by Australia’s decision, calling it “driven by politics, not by fact”.
The ban will come into effect “as soon as practicable”, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said in a statement, adding that exemptions would be granted on a case-by-case basis, and with appropriate security measures in place.
With Australia’s ban, all members of the so-called Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network – which consists of Australia, Canada, the US, Britain and New Zealand – have banned the app from government devices. France, Belgium and the European Commission have announced similar bans.
BT in your inbox
Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.
TikTok chief executive Chew Shou Zi, in his testimony before the US Congress last month, repeatedly denied that the app shares data or has connections with the Chinese Communist Party.
TikTok’s Australia and New Zealand general manager Lee Hunter said the company should not be singled out.
“There is no evidence to suggest that TikTok is in any way a security risk to Australians, and (it) should not be treated differently from other social media platforms,” he said.
The Australian newspaper late on Monday reported that Albanese had agreed to the ban after a review by the Home Affairs department.
Dreyfus confirmed the federal government had recently received a report titled Review into Foreign Interference through Social Media Applications, and that its recommendations remained under consideration.
Trade talks ‘going well’
The ban came on the day Australian and Chinese officials held talks in Beijing to normalise trade, as the World Trade Organization prepares to release findings into an Australian complaint on barley tariffs.
“Things are going well, but of course, it’ll take some time to turn this ship around,” Trade Minister Don Farrell told Sky News, referring to prospects for improving trade relations.
In 2018, Australia banned Huawei from providing equipment during the rollout of its 5G network, riling China. Ties soured further after Canberra called for an independent investigation into the origin of Covid-19.
China responded by imposing tariffs on Australian commodities.
Australian lawmakers can still use TikTok on their personal phones, but some, including federal Government Services Minister Bill Shorten and Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews, have decided to delete their accounts.
Victoria state will ban the app on state government-owned phones, a government spokesperson told Reuters.
While TikTok comes under mounting pressure over the potential Chinese influence over the platform, it also faces criticism over its effect on children.
TikTok said the administration of President Joe Biden demanded that its Chinese owners divest their stakes, or face a potential US ban. REUTERS
Share with us your feedback on BT's products and services
