The U.S. and Canada issued orders this week banning the usage of TikTok on government-issued cellular units as privateness and cybersecurity considerations in regards to the video-sharing app develop.
TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese language firm Bytedance, has lengthy maintained that it doesn’t share information with the Chinese language authorities and that its information just isn’t held in China. It additionally disputes accusations that it collects extra consumer information than different social media firms, and insists that it’s run independently by its personal administration.
However many international locations stay cautious in regards to the platform and its ties to China. Listed below are the international locations and areas which have applied partial or complete bans on TikTok:
INDIA
India imposed a ban on TikTok and dozens of different Chinese language apps, together with the messaging app WeChat, in 2020 over privateness and safety considerations. The ban got here shortly after a conflict between Indian and Chinese language troops at a disputed Himalayan border killed 20 Indian troopers and injured dozens.
The businesses got an opportunity to answer questions on privateness and safety necessities however the ban was made everlasting in January 2021.
TAIWAN
In December 2022, Taiwan imposed a public sector ban on TikTok after the FBI warned that TikTok posed a nationwide safety danger. Authorities units, together with cell phones, tablets and desktop computer systems, should not allowed to make use of Chinese language-made software program, which embody apps like TikTok, its Chinese language equal Douyin, or Xiaohongshu, a Chinese language life-style content material app.
UNITED STATES
This week, the U.S. stated that authorities companies have 30 days to delete TikTok from federal units and methods over information safety considerations. The ban applies solely to authorities units, although some U.S. lawmakers are advocating an outright ban. China lashed out on the U.S. for banning TikTok, describing the ban as an abuse of state energy and suppressing companies from different international locations. Greater than half of the 50 U.S. states even have banned the app from authorities units.
CANADA
After the U.S. announcement, Canada on Monday introduced government-issued units should not use TikTok, saying that it presents an “unacceptable” danger to privateness and safety. Workers may also be blocked from downloading the applying sooner or later.
EUROPEAN UNION
The European Parliament, European Fee and the EU Council, three prime EU our bodies, have imposed bans on TikTok on employees units. The European Parliament’s ban, introduced Tuesday, takes impact on March 20. It has really helpful lawmakers and employees take away the app from their private units.
PAKISTAN
Pakistani authorities have briefly banned TikTok at the very least 4 instances since October 2020, citing considerations that app promotes immoral content material.
AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan’s Taliban management banned TikTok and the sport PUBG in 2022 on the grounds of defending youths from “being misled.”
