The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, has issued an order prohibiting the use of the popular Chinese app TikTok on the phones of its employees due to cybersecurity concerns.
The EU’s move highlights the growing lobby against the social media app owned by ByteDance, the world’s most valuable start-up, over concerns about its ties to the Chinese government and global control over user data.
The following countries and entities have implemented a partial or total ban on TikTok:
India
TikTok and dozens of other Chinese developers’ apps were banned on all devices in June 2020, claiming they were potentially harmful to the country’s security and integrity.
Afghanistan
Is negotiating a ban on TikTok and the video game PUBG, claiming that they are leading Afghan youths “astray.”
تعیین ضربالعجل وزارت مخابرات برای مسدودسازی اپلیکیشنهای تیکتاک و پابجی
نشست مشترک وزارت مخابرات و تکنالوژی معلوماتی و مسئولان شرکتهای مخابراتی تحت رهبری محترم الحاج مولوی نجیب الله حقانی سرپرست وزارت مخابرات و تکنالوژی معلوماتی، با حضور نمایندگان …https://t.co/YwDroXVn6K pic.twitter.com/w9fyOeCPVC— Ministry of Communications & IT – Afghanistan (@mcitafghanistan) September 17, 2022
Pakistan
TikTok has been banned at least four times, with the most recent ban lasting four months, until November 2022, for what the government described as immoral and indecent content on the app.
Press Release: PTA has restored the services of TikTok on assurances of the Platform to control immoral / indecent content.
— PTA (@PTAofficialpk) November 19, 2021
Taiwan
TikTok and some other Chinese apps have been blocked on state-owned devices, and a probe into the social media app over suspected illegal operations on the island was launched in December 2022.
United States
In December 2022, the United States Congress passed legislation prohibiting TikTok from being used on federal devices. President Joe Biden has not yet signed the bill.
U.S. Educational Institutions
TikTok has been banned on university devices and Wi-Fi networks at Boise State University, the University of Oklahoma, the University of Texas-Austin, and West Texas A&M University.
U.S. States
Over 25 states have issued orders prohibiting employees from using TikTok on government devices, including Texas, Maryland, Alabama, and Utah.
